


LemonLime

by I_has_frozen



Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: A happy clappy ending, Harry falls in love with Louis, Lemons are better, Limes are betterer, Louis tries not to fall in love with Harry, M/M, Niall loves food, No one remembers oranges, Zayn can't escape the fics, Zayn's and Liam's love was inevitable, tent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-02
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-07-19 15:44:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 45,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7367653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_has_frozen/pseuds/I_has_frozen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis and Harry meet at a funeral. Zayn and Liam do not meet at a funeral. Niall eats at a funeral. Niall eats outside of the funeral. Citrus fruits start drama. Except there's no oranges, no one seems to remember oranges.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. When life gives you limes

**Author's Note:**

> First fic ever from me. Sorry for all the grammar mistakes, bare with me.

Louis heads towards the catering table. He hadn’t eaten anything that day he had been too busy and overwhelmed by it all. His Dad had gotten into a car crash of some sorts and now it was just Louis, his Mom and his sisters. It had been quite a shock to hear about his father’s passing but they were never that close and the pain was starting to numb.

People are everywhere. Louis thinks that they had made a plan of never leaving him alone by the time of the funeral. But now for some reason he was left alone and he took the opportunity and now he is where the food is.

He starts to stack all kinds of foods into his plate and finds an empty seat next to a blond boy that has probably five plates of food in front of him. The boy raises his eyes from his food fortress. “Louis you look like shit, poor baby. Is this all too much cause if you want me to chase everyone in this room out of here, you know I will, right?” the blondie looks worried. Louis hums out some kind of a tired laugh. 

“I’m fine Niall, the relatives just can’t seem to let me go out of their sight”, he says while sitting down. Niall looks at the plate Louis has placed on the table and tries to take a cookie from it. “And I haven’t eaten anything today”, Louis huffs while swatting Niall’s hand away.

“Where’s Zayn?” Louis asks after looking around a bit. Again Niall raises his eyes from his food fortress his mouth stuffed with some weird green stuff. What the hell is he eating? “I hav–“ “You haven’t seen him, okay”, Louis interrupts before all the green stuff is out of Niall’s mouth and on the table. Jeez his best friend does not own any table manners.

Niall looks lost after being stopped but returns soon to his plates. “You don’t have anything to drink Lou” he mumbles with his mouth full again. Louis looks at the table confused and Niall takes this as an opportunity to steal that cookie. Louis looks at his best friend with unimpressed eyes. Luckily he had predicted this and had taken two of those cookies. 

“You’re right I’ll go get something”, Louis stands up from his seat. “Keep an eye for my plate, mate.” Ha, that rhymed! He turns his back to the table and starts walking to where the drinks are. “Sure!” Niall assures and takes the other cookie from his friend’s plate.

“Louis!” someone shouts nearby. Of course, it’s the let’s make sure Louis doesn’t get any food or privacy-day after all. “Yeah?” he turns towards the sound. “Mum?” An older woman is walking towards Louis and she seems tired. “Hi sweetie how you holding up? Everyone is letting you breathe once in a while, right?”

“Yeah Mum I’m fine”, Louis answers with a lazy smile. Louis is not fine. Louis wants to go home and be alone or hang out with Zayn and Niall. Louis wants to everything to go back to normal cause getting reminded of what happened hurts. And most of all Louis wants to drink something. Seriously he can feel his throat trying to choke itself. “Was just about to get something to drink.” he says hoping that his mother lets him go on his own way.

“You do that love”, his mother purrs. He loves his mother. “Don’t tire yourself Mum”, he reminds her and pecks his mother on the cheek before running off.

There’s only a few people at the drink station or whatever it is called when Louis gets there. He eyes the wine section for a while but finally just pours water into one cup and some kind of dark red juice into another. Okay everything is going fine, Louis thinks. Now he just has to walk back to the table to Niall and never move again until the funeral is over.  
“Lovely blue eyes you got there.” Louis jerks his head backwards from the sudden hot air near his neck resulting him throwing the juice glass somewhere under the table. Louis watches as the dark red liquid slithers sadly towards his shoes. He steps to the right and turns to look at the person who had just whispered into his ear. He doesn’t recognize the boy but he has curly brown hair and a goofy smile on his face so Louis stays to talk to the boy nicely.  
“What the fuck?” Okay maybe not so nicely. “Didn’t mean to scare you, oops”, the boy slurs slowly. “Hi”, the curly offers his hand and Louis squints at it before shaking it. “Do you usually flirt with random people at funerals?” he asks the boy. “Well I haven’t really met random people anywhere else lately”, the boy answers while taking a step forward ending into the dark liquid. Louis facepalms himself internally.  
So this boy has gone to a lot of funerals lately. The poor kid must have bad luck following him, or then he is just a serial killer. Either way Louis takes a short step further away from his new acquaintance.  
“No that’s not what I meant”, the boy seems to have read Louis’ mind, “I’m helping with the catering.” Oh, well that makes a lot more sense. “There’s only been orders to funerals in the past few weeks”, the boy still continues, probably worrying that he still hadn’t explained it clearly enough. “Oh, right”, the curly looks at the puddle he’s currently standing in, “let me pour you another glass.” Louis watches silently as the other boy pours him a drink. He has really nice hands, but Louis is definitely not staring at them.  
He takes the offered glass and gets ready to leave. The other boy just stares at him without moving with hope in his eyes. Louis sighs. “Do you have anything else to do or do you want to–“ Louis swears the boy jumps while saying: “Yes, no I can come!” And so Louis starts heading back to the table and the boy follows him with that goofy smile still intact.

Niall is still there with even more food when they arrive. Louis sits down and looks at his plate that is empty. He raises his look to his friend who is trying to smile as innocently as possible and then looks next to Louis confused. Oh, right the other boy. “Niall believe it or not I have met someone”, he says with a straight face. “Have you now”, both of the boys say with laughter in their voices. “Yes I have, he complimented me eyes and then offered me a drink”, he continues with a ridiculous voice. “Yes I can see that” Niall says looking at the almost empty glass in Louis hand. Okay so Louis was very thirsty and the other boy had kept pouring him more along the way. He had taken the fucking carafe with him. So Louis had drunk three glasses of that juice on the way to the table. As said he was really thirsty. And hungry he remembers and shoots an angry glare towards Niall, who throws him a piece of bread or something out of guilt. Louis doesn’t catch it and the bread winds up on the floor, and it’s Niall’s turn to shoot a glare.

“How much wine did you drink already?” Niall asks after Louis had told him five times how sorry he was about the bread’s fate. Wait what? “Wine, I didn’t drink any wine”, Louis mumbles. “Oh please I can smell it all the way here”, Niall says and waves his hand in front of his nose for an effect. But Louis didn’t drink any wine he had taken the dark red liquid juice that had spilled and then the other boy had…

The other boy.

Louis squints his eyes to the boy next to him, who succeeds with his innocent smile a lot better than Niall did before. “I was surprised you didn’t taste it” the curly struggles to keep a straight face. Louis squints harder. “I was really thirsty okay”, Louis sulks. Both Niall and the other boy giggle now and Louis honestly can’t see what is so funny about this.  
“I’m Niall if you didn’t catch it already” Niall says to the boy when they have stopped their childish giggles. Louis is glad he helped the two guys bond at the cost of his sober brains. That was sarcasm. “’m Harry. Harry Styles”, the curly answers and Louis starts to wonder if he should also tell his name. But that would mean the other bo–, he means Harry, would know that it was actually his father’s funeral and that would be followed by awkward silence. But life likes to play tricks with Louis so Harry turns to him with a waiting look. “Louis Tomlinson”, Louis says and watches how the goofy smile from Harry’s face disappears. “Oh”, Harry says with a low voice, “So sorry for your lost.” And the awkward silence falls upon their group. 

“Whoa what happened here?” a raven haired boy appears out of nowhere. Louis is pretty sure he’s a demon or a vampire of some sorts. “You all look so serious. Who died?”  
Harry’s eyes grow wide in horror, Louis looks unimpressed and Niall just starts to eat again. “Hello Zayn”, Louis says still looking unimpressed, “do sit down.” Zayn sits down and introduces himself to Harry who looks like he’s breathing again. “Where have you been Zayn you don’t know anyone else in here?” Niall asks in between his mouthfuls. “I have my own things” Zayn answers with an apathetic face. Louis squints at Zayn suspiciously. Yeah, he definitely needs to look into that demon/vampire thing.

Zayn looks at Harry and then Louis and then Harry again. “I actually just came by to say hi and pick up Niall.” Niall shoots his head up from his sandwich and looks at Zayn puzzled. “Yeah, Niall don’t you remember you promised to help me out with that thing”, he says trying to get Niall up. Louis stares at his friends mortified. “But I thought it was tomorrow”, Niall tries sadly looking at his food on the table. Zayn pulls Niall up completely and starts tugging him away from the table. “Bye guys! It was nice meeting you Harry”, Zayn says and Louis tries to Morse code by blinking to tell his friends not to leave. His friends leave. And then it’s just him and Harry.

“You look like someone just stabbed your back”, Harry starts, smiling knowingly. “Don’t want to be left alone with me?” he questions while leaning closer and wiggling his eyebrows ridiculously. Louis fights back a smile and pushes Harry back to his place. “You’re the one who tried to get me drunk” Louis says defensively. Harry laughs. “You looked like you needed something stronger than berry juice to be honest”, he says earnestly, “plus it was just three glasses I didn’t know you couldn’t handle wine.” There’s a mocking tone in Harry’s voice and Louis doesn’t like it. “Well I hadn’t eaten anything so”, he raises his eyebrows to Harry whose face falls. “You’re kidding right”, he asks seriously. Louis looks at the bread on the floor sadly. He wishes he was kidding. “C’mon”, Harry says and grabs Louis arm pulling him up. “Let’s get you something.”

It’s already pretty late and most of the guests has already disappeared. They had started to clear the tables and take the food away so Harry brings Louis to the kitchen. “Do you want something salty or something sweet?” he asks his blue-eyed friend. Louis looks at all the treats on one table. “Sweet”, he says mesmerized. “Nice try”, Harry squints his eyes teasingly, “let’s get you something salty first.” Louis huffs but follows as Harry starts to move. Fine let’s get salty then, fine. Why did you even ask.

Harry brings a huge platter filled with food, both salty and sweet, and lowers it on the counter between them. They sit down on two grey barstools and Louis finally gets something into his mouth. He takes a salty sandwich under Harry’s supervising stare. Sandwiches have never tasted this good. Harry takes something off the platter too and then they just eat. Eat and talk.

They don’t talk about anything heavy. Just light banter about weird subjects and Louis can finally just smile and put everything behind him. Harry is actually a very nice and fun person and it’s really calming to listen his slow slur. He also has very, very nice green eyes and Louis just stares into them a while. The wine he drank didn’t even get him that drunk it had just taken the edge off and now it had worn out almost completely. He starts to get sleepy.

Harry just ended his story involving an armadillo, three ant colonies and a tube of sunscreen and now they just stare at each other. It's nice and silent and Louis eyes fly wide when Harry starts to lean closer to him. Wait, it was Louis himself who is leaning closer to Harry, falling actually. Harry scoops Louis into a tight hug preventing Louis dropping on the floor. He's so tired he had started to fall from his barstool. “Woah” Harry huffs under Louis weight, “someone’s tired. Do you want some tea?” Louis nodds tiredly into Harry’s neck. 

Louis wakes up to a clink next to his ear. When did he even fall asleep? He looks up with tired eyes to see a tea cup in front his face and Harry behind it. There’s already water in the cup when Louis lifts his head. He puts the tea bag from the saucer into the water while Harry watches that he doesn’t fall asleep again and hit his head. “You want any milk or sugar?” Harry asks him. “No this is fine, do you have any lemons here though?” Louis questions while watching the colour of the water change like it’s the most exciting thing. “No, but we have limes?”

“Who puts lime in their tea?” Louis asks while huffing a laugh. Seriously, who does that? “I do”, Harry says like it was normal to put lime in your tea and steps closer. Louis' head shoots up. “You’re joking right?” Harry looks puzzled. “What’s the big deal? They’re both citrus and there’s all kinds of flavoured tea. Including lime.” Louis stands up from his seat. “No one puts lime in their tea, from what planet even are you?” The planet of curly haired, green-eyed and goofy smiled people probably. “Loads of people put lime in their tea, what are you getting so upset about. What the fuck?” Harry looks like he’s just missed something. Louis starts to walk away and Harry’s face falls. “It’s only fruit Louis!” he shouts after him.

Louis keeps walking. When he thought it was Harry who was trying to lean in and not Louis trying to fall asleep it had felt weird. Like, really weird. His stomach had turned and he didn’t know if it was a good thing. No it definitely wasn’t a good thing. Harry had got him drunk and then tried to make a move. That’s what he tells himself as he storms out of the building to his mother’s car. And he definitely doesn’t google lime tea when he gets home.


	2. Lemon 1, lime 0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The you in their group chat is Louis because it's viewed from Louis' phone. Just to let you know if it confuses someone. Again sorry if there's grammar mistakes, I'm trying.

Messages from a group chat from Louis phone:

 **BackStabber-Zayn:** _Hey Louis, Lou, Lou, you! :)))_  
**You:** _Hi new phone, who this?_  
**SoNotBestFriend-Niall:** _Ha, good one!!_  
**You:** _Shut up Niall. I can no longer call you my friends._  
**BackStabber-Zayn:** _You both want to come over?_  
**You:** _Fine…but there’s better be food._  
**SoNotBestFriend-Niall:** _FOOOOOD!!!!_

Louis sits on Zayn’s bed and sulks. There’s no food in the room. Niall, who sits on the floor, looks even more offended. “If I recall I arrived with the promise of food”, he looks at the raven-haired boy next to him. He gets ignored. “Fine. So what was the important thing you abandoned me for?” An evil smirk takes over Zayn’s face, cause Zayn’s evil. And probably a vampire.

“Well, the way I see it, you should be thankful that we left you alone with that emerald boy.” Louis doesn’t like the way Zayn’s eyebrows wiggle. “Thankful?! Didn’t you see my eyes that pled you to _not_ leave me alone with him”, he complains while pushing Zayn gently. 

Niall looks up at them, chewing something. Where did he get food? Louis scavenges the room again with his eyes. “I’m with Zayn with this one”, the blond says his mouth full. “There was definitely something going on between the two of you.” Again eyebrows are wiggled.  
Louis hates his friends. 

“There was nothing between us!” Louis exclaims with his most serious voice. Both Niall and Zayn look at him with unimpressed eyes. “We just met and then he followed me back to the table. There was nothing!” Okay that sounded a bit fake even to Louis’ ears. His friends still look unimpressed. “So nothing happened between the two of you after we left?” Zayn asks after he had stared enough. “Nothing happened”, Louis said with a proud voice, “We just ate and talked a bit.”

“So, when are you going to see him again?” What? Louis looks at the boy next to him who seems to be serious. “Um, never?” His friends’ faces fall in disbelief. “What, wait, why? What did he do?” Niall asks his mouth still full. Seriously where does he find all that food. Louis wonders for a while. Why would he meet him again? Then again why wouldn’t he. 

“He puts lime in his tea”, he blurts out. Both of his friends look at him like he’s crazy or something. “He puts lime in his tea?” Zayn repeats tiredly. “Yeah he puts lime in his tea instead of lemon”, Louis says in a panicked tone, “Who does that?”

“Mate, you’re out of your mind”, Niall shoots from the floor. “Whatever, I’m not going to see him again”, Louis repeats once more. “Okay”, says Niall. “Okay”, says Zayn. Louis squints at them with suspicion. “Scoot”, Niall tells and starts to climb to the bed. All three of them sit next to each other. “Now let’s play that one weird game”, Zayn says, like the conversation about Harry never happened. 

~

Louis walks back home. They all live quite near each other. Why would they think that Louis was going to see Harry again, he wonders. He just bumped into him at his Dad’s funeral and they talked a bit, that’s all. Why do Niall and Zayn talk like it had been love at first-sight? 

Louis laughs at that. Love at first-sight my ass. There’s no such thing and even if there was it wouldn’t have been it with Harry. I mean don’t get him wrong, Harry looks quite nice. He has beautiful green eyes and nice hands and–  
Louis stops. He had walked past his house.

Okay so Harry was fucking hot, so what. Loads of people are hot. Louis is still not going to see Harry again. And even if he would want to, he doesn’t, he couldn’t. I mean he doesn't know Harry’s number or where he lives. He didn’t know anything about Harry in the matter of fact. Besides the armadillo story and some other stuff. Like that Harry’s favourite colour is orange.  
Louis stops. He had walked past his house again.

Seriously the sooner he forgets this Harry Styles the better. Seriously if he keeps missing his house like this every time Harry’s on his mind he’s going to be in such good shape by the end of the summer. Not that Harry is in Louis’ mind a lot. He’s not.

~

“Mum I’m home!” he yells as he finally stops at the right house. “Mum’s not home!” yells a girl’s voice from upstairs. Wait his mother isn’t home? Louis’ Mum had not left the house, unless she had to, after the car crash. Maybe the funeral really did help everyone to move on.

“Where is Mum then?” Louis asks and his sister’s head appears at the staircase. “She went to buy something I think, or to meet someone”, the girl says. “Is anyone else home?” His sister shakes his head, “Mum took the twins with her and Fizzy is God knows where. It’s just the two of us big ol’ brother.” Just him and Lottie.

“Lottie?” Louis starts. Lottie raises her head. “Do you believe in love at first-sight?” Why was he asking this? Her sister thinks a while, “No, not really. But I do believe that you can become interested of someone quite quickly.” Why is her sister so smart? Not fair. “Why do you ask?” Lottie questions and starts to walk down the stairs. Shit. “Is this about the curly-haired boy at the funeral?” Shit! When did Lottie even see them. “I didn’t see him but Zayn told all kinds of things when I asked him and Niall if they had seen you.”  
Louis really hates his friends.

“Um, no reason. This had nothing to do with the curly boy”, he looks at Lottie dead in the eye. “And his name is Harry”, he feels necessary to add. “Sure, sure”, Lottie says while passing him, “Do you want any tea?”

“Yeah, sure”, he says defeated. “Do you put lime in your tea or know anyone who puts?” he suddenly asks. Lottie looks at him a bit strange. “No, who does that?” Louis smirks maliciously. Lemon 1, lime 0 he ticks in his mind before following his new favourite sister to the kitchen.

~

The air outside is fresh and there’s barely any wind as Louis walks towards Zayn’s house. It’s Friday night and Zayn was left home alone. He had organized a some kind of party, which is weird cause Zayn doesn’t really throw parties. He does attend to them, and he does drink but he doesn’t throw parties.  
Louis' wearing tight black jeans and a dark blue shirt. Nothing special but nothing unspecial either. He did spent about a half an hour doing his hair though but if anyone asked he would deny it. He rings the doorbell on Zayn’s door. “Hi Louis! So glad to see you”, Zayn blabbers. Louis can smell that he’s already been drinking. “Like the hair Lou, did you spend half an hour on it?” he asks. “Yeah.” Damned, Louis is not good at denying things. Unless it’s Harry.  
He did not just think that.

Louis steps in and heads to the kitchen. He only reaches the living room when Zayn stops him and he spots curly hair. “Oh, hi Louis”, a familiar slow slur starts. “I wasn’t sure if you were coming. You know cause I’m here.” Of course he would’ve not come if he had known that Harry was going to be here. He just stares at Harry with surprise in his eyes. “Wait, you did tell him that I was coming, right?” Harry asks and they both turn to look at Zayn. The raven boy avoids eye-contact as he backs away. Harry turns his eyes back to Louis as Louis just stares Zayn who disappears into the crowd. That little vampire.

“You knew Zayn beforehand?” he finally turns to Harry who looks like he’s sorry about existing. “No I only met him at the funeral? We changed phone numbers right in front of you”, he says puzzled. Oh. Maybe that wine did affect him more than he realized. Harry just stares at him with his big eyes.

“Lottie doesn’t put lime in her tea and can’t see why anyone else would either”, Louis says after the silence becomes unbearable. “What? Oh, you got to be kidding me Lou”, Harry snaps back from his stare, “Who’s Lottie?”  
“My sister”, Louis says, “And don’t call me Lou!”

“Okay it was nice to meet you again Harry.” No it wasn’t. Louis waves at Harry half heartedly and turns on his heels. Okay he and Harry can be in the same house, Louis doesn’t mind. He’s just going to avoid Harry. Not be near him or talk to him. He’s not even sure why he’s so determined with avoiding the curly one, he just knows that Harry makes him uncomfortable for some reason. Just keep away from him Louis, he thinks to himself.

He and Harry stand side by side in the kitchen. Louis’ not quite sure how that happened. Harry measures the different kinds of alcohol on the counter and takes two bottles pouring from them into two cups. He offers the other one to Louis.

“You said you couldn’t handle the wine cause you hadn’t eaten anything but I think I want proof”, Harry says daringly. Louis looks at him like he was five. “Are you daring me to drink?” Louis is above of all dares. He’s not a kid anymore and he understands that you don’t always have to prove yourself. Harry takes a long sip from his own mug and raises his eyebrows to Louis. Louis takes the mug he’s being offered and gulps from it. The alcohol burns his throat but Harry isn’t winning this. No day in hell.

Louis’ not quite sure how they got to the dancefloor, that was the living room, or how much they had actually drunk but there they were, raving. Worst part is, they aren't dancing separately. Their chests are pressed together and Louis is breathing into Harry’s neck. Harry’s mouth is hovering somewhere near his hairline and Louis could swear that they had grinded their groins together a few times. Louis should mind. But he doesn’t.

The music grows louder every minute, or maybe its Louis head that gets more sensitive, and more and more people are dancing around them. Louis starts to lean more towards Harry due to the decrease of space. The curly probably take this as a sign cause his hand starts to lower on Louis' back. As Harry cups his bum Louis snaps his head up in surprise and steps out of their cradle. Harry looks a bit confused and lost and then takes Louis hand in his own. “Come on, let’s go outside.”

Air is still fresh as they step outside. It’s a lot darker now though. Harry turns to look at Louis, his eyes are dark. He steps closer, Louis steps further. “Louis”, Harry slurs, “you’re giving me mixed signals.” Louis can’t stop staring Harry’s eyes. “I mean first we’re talking about all silly stuff back in that funeral but then you ran away cause of limes? And then you start dancing with me and you and me both now I wasn’t the only one grinding, and then you back away. I’m confused Louis.”

Louis just keeps staring and playing Harry’s words in his mind for a while. “In my defense”, Louis says while swaying a little, “I’m very, very drunk.” Harry huffs a little laugh but it sounds tired. “I like you Louis.” Louis stops swaying. “Not just your impossibly blue eyes but you”, Harry takes a step closer again. Louis doesn’t back off. Harry takes this as a small victory and takes a few more steps until their faces are extremely close to each other. “And you sometimes act like you might like me too.” And then he closes the gap between them.

Harry kisses him shyly first, like he’s not sure if he’s supposed to be doing this. And again Louis should mind. But he doesn’t. So he puts his hands in Harry’s lovely curly hair and gets himself even closer to Harry. Not that it should be possible. Harry takes this as a permisson and puts his hands to Louis back, holding him there. The kiss turns ugly quite fast. Louis moans into Harry’s mouth as Harry slithers his tongue into the kiss. They both just suck at each other’s faces like their lives are depending on it. Louis’ stomach is doing rolls and it all feels like too much. He’s just about to run out of air when Harry suddenly stops. He plants a wet kiss onto Louis’ neck, cups his bum and whispers lowly, “I really hope I get to see you again”, and then leaves. Louis looks at Harry’s disappearing back and then at his bulge in his pants. Fuck.

~

 

Louis lifts his head from the pillow that was trying to suffocate him a minute ago. His head is throbbing and he wishes he was dead. He eyes the living room he’s currently in. Right, Zayn and his party. Good thing he said to his Mum he was staying the night. At the exact moment Zayn walks in and looks quite surprised when he sees Louis on his sofa. “Morning?” Louis mumbles. He hates his body right now. And as it seems his body is hating just as much. “Oh, hi Louis”, Zayn says still looking surprised. “What?” Louis asks, squinting his eyes to the light. “No, no, nothing. I know I said you can sleep here when I invited you but…” Zayn thinks a while, “I thought you would have gone home with Harry.” Louis eyes go wide, a deed he regrets as the light sees this as an opportunity to drill into his skull and blind him. He wants to scream and laugh and cry. “I’m not a slut”, he says instead and throws the pillow at Zayn’s face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaand it's a kiss. I'm going to make the next chapter a little longer so be patient. Love you all!


	3. No food for Louis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, maybe not so long chapter but hey  
> There will be mistakes on the text, sorry.

Louis searches the cabinets for tea. It’s not in its regular place and he starts to worry if they even have tea in their kitchen.

“So, you’re going to stay for long Louis?” Zayn asks as Louis fumbles around the kitchen. What did Louis just hear? 

“I’m not adorable enough for you Zaynie?” he asks with a smirk. Someone walks in just then. It’s a huge man. No a boy. No a man.

Louis’ not sure.

“Oh”, the manboy blushes, “someone’s still here.” His embarrassed blush and brown scared puppy eyes are in conflict with his muscular biceps and broad shoulders. He also doesn’t have a shirt on.

Zayn turns to look at the boyman.

“He was just leaving”, Zayn says and shoots a meaningful glare towards Louis.

“No I wasn’t”, mumbles Louis still looking at the kidguy or whatever it was. Did Louis mention that he doesn’t have a shirt on? 

Zayn glares Louis harder. Oh. Oh!

God Louis is slow sometimes. 

To be fair he’s hungover. 

To be fair there’s a shirtless guy in front of him.

 

“Hi, I’m Liam”, the boymanguykid says after Louis just keeps staring. Louis just waves cause his brain likes to embarrass him every now and then. 

“We met last night at the party”, Zayn says, walking to Liam. “He’s Harry’s friend and I promised to keep him entertained while he was wooing you.”

“Oh I can see you kept him entertained all right”, Louis teases. 

“Yes he did”, says Liam and Zayn winks at him. “You know we should go out to eat sometime”, he continues and envelopes Zayn while planting kisses on his neck. 

“We should”, Zayn answers and turns around to bring their faces close, “but right now I have something else in mind.”

“You mind if I jump in?” Louis interrupts before they get to sucking each other’s faces off. Both of the boys turn to look at him mortified.

“I meant the food thing! Christ, clean up your mind”, Louis laughs. “Don’t even think you’re worthy of this bum”, he says while shaking his bum at them. Zayn rolls his eyes and Liam laughs.

Louis thinks he and Liam will get along just fine.

“That’s what I actually meant. That we would all go sometime”, Liam says and turns back to stare into Zayn’s eyes.

Louis sneaks past them and head out. He’s already on the verge of vomiting, he doesn’t need to witness cannibalism on top of that.

~

 

Louis jingles his keys at the door and steps in. He had only walked past his house once today, and it was definitely not because he was thinking about Harry’s and his kiss. Definitely not.

“Louis is that you?” a shout rings from the kitchen. 

“Yeah, it’s me”, he answers and takes his shoes off, “Hi Mum.” He sways a little and almost falls.

Stupid gravity.

Lottie and Mum are in the kitchen talking about something that seems to involve hamsters and rollercoasters. Louis doesn’t want to ask.

“Oh Louis by the way”, Lottie stops the conversation and turns to look at his brother. Louis raises his eyebrows to tell her to go on. “I tried lime in my tea like you said and guess what?” A rhetorical question. “It tastes just the same, maybe even better!” 

Louis frowns.

“You are so not my favourite sister.”

“What?” Lottie says.

“What?” Mum says.

“What?” Louis says.

 

He escapes upstairs.

 

He goes straight to the bathroom and brushes his teeth. He can still feel the alcohol on them. And taste it.

He takes off his clothes and hits the shower. The water feels like it’s being poured straight from heaven on his skin. He sighs into the water managing to gulp some of it and choking on it. He opens his eyes in shock and heaves in a breath.

Okay. No dreaming in the shower.

When Louis finally steps out of the shower he feels like he could sleep for a year. He waddles into his bedroom and puts on a pair of dark red sweatpants. This is life, he thinks as he falls onto his bed and he sinks into the fluffy blankets. 

He just lays there for a moment, mind blank and relaxed.

Harry.

Fuck. 

HarryHarry.

Fuck fuck fuck.

HarryHarryHarryHarryHarryHarryHarryHarryHarryHarry HarryHarryHarry…

Fuck!

Louis throws a pillow over his head and tries to control his mind. Harry is being played over and over in his mind completely taking over his brains. He doesn’t like it at all.

He doesn’t like the way his stomach turns when he thinks about Harry and his eyes and his hands–

Louis thinks about Harry’s hands for a while.

But yeah he doesn’t like the way he feels almost sick to his stomach but it’s enjoyable at the same time. It’s fucking confusing. And it fucking hurts!

It feels like someone just ripped his lungs out and his whole heart is tearing up as Harry is taking over his mind and body. It’s like Harry is like a virus inside of him, spreading out, and Louis’ frame can’t keep it all together.

And what he hates about that feeling the most, is that he can’t hate it as much as he wishes he could.

Fucking Harry. Fucking curly-headed virus.

Louis huffs a little laugh. You got to admit, that was a funny image.

He sighs as he sits up on the bed. Louis’ not used to this. It’s almost unbearable to think about Harry or being close to him.

 

When Harry had kissed him he had liked it. He had liked it a lot. And it’s scary to think about. I mean he has to admit he likes Harry. But he isn’t sure what he wants from him. He hasn’t done this before, like, at all. And every time Harry is near him his whole mind goes blank and he’s afraid he might do something stupid that’s going to hurt him later. Or Harry. That’s why he tries to keep away.

Plus he likes limes.

Louis pulls out his phone and types:

_So, when is that dinner orgy of ours?_

And sends it to Zayn.

He needs something else to think about. If he doesn’t see Harry ever again he wouldn’t have to figure out everything in his head. Then again the world is against him so he wouldn’t hold his breath.

His phone vibrates.

**ZaynThatGotLaid:** _Tomorrow seems like a good day. Orgy huh? Are we finally deemed worthy of that bum of yours?_

Louis laughs and pockets his phone. He heads downstairs to his Mum and not-his-favourite-sister and they spend the rest of the day watching weird movies and tv-shows from the telly.

 

~

 

Louis snaps awake in shock when his door swings open loudly and Niall swings in even louder.

“Morning sleepy head, I can’t believe you’re still sleeping!” Why is Niall shouting he’s right here for God’s sake?

“Mmhhuh?” he mumbles trying to aim his puffy eyes towards Niall. How did he even get in?

“It’s almost noon you dumbass. Your mom let us in as she left”, Niall explains. 

Oh, okay. Wait, us?

“Wait, us?” he manages to get his eyes open a little more.

“Yes, us”, says Zayn who walks into the room with Liam attached to him. Okay Louis needs to get a lock for his bedroom door. Why is Liam even here? And why are they glued together?

Maybe it’s order a Zayn today and get a Liam for free kinda deal. Who knows?

“We decided to come here first before eating”, Liam tells. 

“Oh that reminds me, your mom made you a sandwich downstairs before she left”, says Niall while taking a bite out of the sandwich in question.

Louis scowls at him and his stomach grumbles. He hadn’t even realized that he hadn’t eaten anything yesterday. Niall throws him a sheepish smile. 

Suddenly Louis realizes that he should probably get up and that there’s actually three people in his room and he looks like a crossover of a rat and a pigeon. No, it couldn’t be that bad. These are his friends.

“Is that drool on your face?” 

“Get out.”

All three of them leave quickly and Louis swears they’re all wearing a similar kind of smirk. Yup, these are his friends. 

 

When Louis gets downstairs they’re all still there. Zayn and Liam are practicing CPR and Niall is eating the rest of Louis’ breakfast and trying to ignore the other two. 

“Why do you always have to eat my food”, growls Louis as he arrives to the kitchen.

“You want it back?” asks Niall. “Cause if I look at the two of those it should come right up.” 

They both giggle. Zayn and Liam stop at the sound and turn to look at them.

“You’re just jealous cause you’re not getting any”, Zayn huffs.

“Oh I’m getting plenty”, huffs Niall back. 

“I know, I meant Louis.”

They all giggle. Except Louis, Louis rolls his eyes.

“Very funny. I’m fine with what I’m having thanks.” Which was; nothing. Except the kiss.

“You’ve been getting something?” Niall asks trying to sound astonished.

“Maybe he’s been getting from Harry but he’s not telling us”, Zayn conspires wiggling his eyebrows.

“I saw the two of them kissing at the party”, Liam throws in. All eyes turn to Louis.

“What?!” Niall and Zayn shout in unison. He’s not sure if he likes Liam anymore.

“We just kissed that’s all”, Louis tries to calm his friends down. It goes down the drain.

The two of them start squeaking something that sounds like gibberish while jumping up and down and hugging each other. Louis looks at Liam who stands still for a while and then starts jumping and shrieking with them. 

Wow.

“Finally!” he manages to catch from the mess they’re speaking.

“Our baby is growing up!”

“Finally!”

“Bless the heavens!”

Louis can’t say he’s not offended. Why are they so surprised? Louis could get anyone if he just wanted, I mean look at him. He just never wanted anyone. Still doesn’t. He thinks.

He glares at his friends with his deadliest look until they stop. And for a little bit more just for an effect. Everyone seems to calm down and Louis sighs out of relief. Then Niall pinches his cheeks and they start it again.

This happens a few times.

 

~

 

Zayn parks his car out of the diner and the lot stumbles out. Finally, Louis’ so hungry he would probably eat the next person he sees. 

“Hi!”

It’s Harry.

Why is Harry here? Why wasn’t he informed about this? Why? Just. 

Why?

Harry looks at him and he feels how his stomach starts to sink and mind starts to empty. He offers a shy smile to Harry. He feels like a teenager.

Well he is a teenager. Kinda. He’ll turn 18 on Christmas Eve.

And why is Harry looking so good? Who gave him the permission? He’s wearing tight black jeans, and when Louis says tight, he means _TIGHT_ , and a white dress shirt. It’s so simple, but he still looks so fucking hot. His hair is long and curly and it looks like it took hours to make it happen but Louis’ quite sure he just woke up and walked out of the house looking like that cause it’s fucking Harry Styles, who just always looks perfect. Louis wasted almost twenty minutes on his hair and it still looked like a mess.

Not. Fair.

 

The diner’s nice and as they wait for their food and talk Louis feels like he could explode.

One, he’s finally about to get some food.

Two, Harry’s been nudging his foot under the table every once in a while.

They have also shared few fleeting stares and fewer solid ones. It feels weird and warm. Louis’ insides squirm under Harry’s eyes and touch. 

He pulls out of it as a plate is placed in front of him. No burger has ever looked so good. He feels his mouth watering at the sight.

Harry’s foot nudges Louis’ again and Louis shoots his eyes up just in time to see Harry taking a bite out of his burger. He puts his tongue on the burger first before biting it. Louis mouth waters even more.

He shakes the image out of his head and turns back to his plate that is now one burger short. He immediately turns to glare at Niall who is currently eating the missing burger. Louis sighs and tries to take a fry but Niall slaps his hand away. From his own plate?!

Yeah, Louis definitely needs new friends.

“Niall, what the hell?” Harry laughs. “Let Louis eat something, it’s his food after all.”

What?

“No, thanks I’m fine”, Louis says and stands up from the table.

What?

He walks out.

What?

 

Seriously what is wrong with him? Why is he acting like an asshole? And most importantly why didn’t he take the food when it was offered to him by Harry. He’s so fucking hungry right now.

Louis doesn’t walk right home but just walks around the neighborhood after spending some time at the nearby park swinging. It’s already starting to get a bit dark, the air getting colder. Louis should’ve taken a jacket, but he thought he would ride home in Zayn’s car.

But no Louis has to act like a child and storm out cause someone was trying to help. And Louis just has to walk outside until he freezes to death. Cause he’s Louis and Louis is stupid. He hits himself in the head.

Well that wasn’t smart.

He rubs the sore spot on his head as he finally arrives to his front door and steps in. The whole house is dark, no one’s home yet.

Louis walks up the stairs without turning the lights on and he swears there’s something stinging in his eyes. He rubs is eyes and remembers he could’ve eaten something now. His mind is more set on changing into something more comfortable and breathing for a while to be honest.

Louis stops. There’s light flooding under his bedroom door.

 

Louis calms himself and swing the door open. Harry’s sitting on his bed head shooting up as the door flings open. Okay Louis really needs to get a lock for his bedroom door.

“Um, hi”, Harry starts, his voice failing a bit, “I know this seems strange but I really wanted to talk to you and–“

“How did you get in?” Louis interrupts still a bit in shock.

“Oh, Zayn let me in.”

“Okay”, he’s breathing a bit more normal now. “Wait. How did Zayn get in here?”

Harry shrugs.

“Um, anyway I really wanted to talk to you and I have a feeling that you’re avoiding me for some reason and–“

“Well–“Louis starts.

“And for God’s sake don’t say its cause of the lime”

Louis shuts up. Harry gives him the unimpressed look.

“I want you to answer honestly. Do you hate me?” He’s never seen Harry this serious.

“I–“Louis tries, his voice already cracking. “I don’t know.” 

“No I don’t. I like you Harry. To be honest I really like you I just don’t know in what way exactly and how much and I’m fucking confused”, Louis stops to breathe. “This is all really new to me and I don’t know what I want, or feel, or want to feel.”

Harry’s gone silent and looks quite pale. His mouth quivers like he’s trying to say something, or keeping down a cry. 

God Louis wishes for the first one. He really doesn’t need a crying Harry in his room right now.

“Would you want to find out?” he finally says. Louis just stares at him so he rises from the bed and walks to Louis.

He puts his other hand on the lower of Louis’ back and traces his jawline with the other while pulling them closer. Louis stops breathing for a while and then carefully places his hands on Harry’s neck and stands up on his tiptoes. He hadn’t even realized how much taller and broader Harry was than him until now. I mean they had kissed before but it had gone so quickly.

Wait, is that what is gonna happen? Are they going to kiss again?

Louis’ just about to protest when Harry lowers his head and their lips are touching. Louis mind goes blank and he relaxes on Harry’s arms, going completely pliant. Yup, he definitely doesn’t want to be just friends with Harry.

The kiss is slow and uncertain and Harry’s grip on Louis body is gentle, like he was afraid he might break him. Louis takes this as an insult. He might be little but he’s not porcelain. He tiptoes some more almost smashing their teeth together and licks Harry’s lips with his tongue asking a permission to enter. 

Harry opens his mouth to Louis with a groan and hugs Louis tighter, his hands starting to wander on Louis chest and back. He then sucks at Louis’ bottom lip getting a whimper out of him.

Now this wasn’t Louis’ first kiss. I mean he had kiss Harry before once, that counts as something right. 

He pulls out of the kiss Harry mouth following him a bit for more and letting out a little whine when Louis doesn’t attach their lips together. The whine however dies soon enough as Louis starts to plant kisses along Harry’s jawline and down to his neck, sucking the sensitive skin there.

He then lifts his head up to mash their lips back together and the kiss gets even hotter. Louis can feel the warmth in his stomach pooling and his jeans are becoming a little too tight. 

He pushes his hips forward to grind it on Harry’s groin and his breath hitches when he can feel Harry just as hard against him. Harry grinds back and moans into Louis mouth. He thinks he says something but Louis is way too turned on to register anything outside of the feeling of Harry’s length rubbing against his.

It all becomes too much quite quickly, something snapping in Louis head. He breaks the kiss again and stops grinding looking up to Harry. The curly is looking at him with dark eyes, with slightly confused cause Louis stopped, and fuck his lips are so puffed up pink right now. Louis’ whole mind’s a haze as he drops down to his knees.

“Fuck”, Harry groans with the lowest voice Louis has ever heard.

“Louis what are you–“

Harry stops to breathe heavily as Louis starts to unzip his jeans.

“Fuck.”

“Now, I haven’t done this before but”, Louis inhales as Harry’s hands come down to grip his hair. He looks up.

“Louis you don’t have to–“

“But I want to”, Louis says while sliding down Harry’s pants. He’s wearing black boxer briefs. 

Harry groans.

Louis slides his hands along Harry’s waistband.

Harry groans louder.

“Louis”, his voice is shaking.

Louis starts to pull Harry’s underpants down and Harry tugs his hair a little.

“I don’t–fuck–think you”, a whimpery breath, “should.”

Louis ignores him and plants a kiss just above where the waistband still is and starts to tug it down again. Fuck he’s hungry.

He faints.

 

~

 

When Louis opens his eyes he sees a dark figure hovering over him. He’s on the bed now somehow.

“I’m sorry”, the figure whispers and then leaves the room without saying anything else.

He hears the front door open and close and he knows Harry’s gone.

How long was he out? Oh god that was probably the most horrible time to faint. Louis blushes out of embarrassment and turns to look at his night table.

There’s a cup, no a pint, of water, loads of food and a little paper note saying:

_Sorry again_   
_eat up blue-eyes :))_   
_H_

Louis smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, not sorry  
> Buahahahhahaha  
> Louis definitely didn't get anything in his mouth.


	4. And then he had the Tomlinsons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry that it took me this long to update but it's here now! With grammar mistakes and all. Yay!

Harry closes the door behind him. What the hell was that? The way Louis had just dropped down on his knees had made his stomach twirl in a way he never had experienced. The kiss had been so passionate and when Louis had looked straight into Harry’s eyes from the floor, holy fuck. All Harry was able to see was blue and his mind hadn’t been working. And then Louis had fainted.

 

Harry had gotten so scared when Louis collapsed. But the smaller boy was still breathing and looked unharmed so there was no need to call the whole planet to help. It had taken some time for Harry to realize that maybe it was the lack of food on top of the heated situation that had been too much for Louis.

 

He had carried Louis onto his bed. Louis’ had been so soft and beautiful as he had softly breathed in peace. Harry has to admit that he stared the boy for a while before heading downstairs to make some food for the sleeping beauty.

 

Harry snaps out of his thoughts as a car turns into the driveway. The headlights shimmer through the misty night and shatter into Harry’s eyes. The car stops and a woman with kind eyes steps out of the vehicle.

 

“Oh, hello love”, Louis’ mother greets with a bright but tired smile. It is quite late after all. 

 

“Hi Jay”, Harry greets back, returning the smile. “How you’re holding up?”

 

Jay’s smile doesn’t falter but she tugs her jacket’s string a bit. “Feeling a bit better actually”, she says honestly the car door still open. “You get used to everything I guess. You come to terms with it cause you have to.”

 

“You’re right”, Harry says with a soft tone, ”I’m glad that you’re doing fine.”

 

It’s dark and misty but the lampposts on the street, light the little world around them. Silence has fallen upon the street Louis lives in. There’s no cars, no noise, just the two of them standing and wondering if they should change the subject or just leave. 

 

Jay stops twirling her jacket strings and slowly closes the car door. “You and Louis are friends?” she finally says. “I didn’t know that.” 

 

Oh right, shit. Harry’s standing on their porch. On Louis’ porch. And it’s nighttime. “Yeah we actually met at the funeral”, Harry starts honestly. He really hoped that they didn’t have to talk about the fact that Louis’ father, Jay’s husband, was dead but what was he supposed to say. Oh, yeah your precious child was about to suck me off but then he fainted. You know, the basic.

 

Jay doesn’t seem bothered though so Harry counts that as a small victory. Jay is actually smiling even more and are those, are those tears in her eyes? She sniffles a bit the tears retrieving and she walks to Harry and smiles to him fondly. “I’m glad he’s talking to people again.”

 

And what? Harry’s a tad baffled, Louis didn’t talk to people? He didn’t know that. But what did Harry know about Louis really? Nothing.

 

Jay is already at the door ready to go in as she suddenly stops and turns to Harry. “What do you do on Tuesday?” 

 

“Um, nothing?”

 

“Good, you’re invited to dinner at the Tomlinson residence.”

 

~

 

Harry turns the key in the lock and pushes his door open lazily. The house is dark as it always is returning his footsteps back in an echo. Well it’s more of an apartment than a house but to Harry it’s home. 

 

He shrugs his jacket off and throws it somewhere. It’s going to be a pain in the ass to search in a hurry next time but right now he’s too spent. He keeps worrying about Louis. I mean he had woken up before he left and he left him food and now his mom is home to look after him and–

 

Harry stops to breathe. He crawls, well he doesn’t crawl it’s more like of a really crouched up walk, okay well he’s crawling, he crawls across the floor and reaches up to pull himself to the sofa. He gives up halfway and just lays there on the floor. He really needs to get a grip.

 

He makes himself as comfortable as he can and stares the ceiling. Okay, back to Louis. The realization that he doesn’t know anything about Louis really got into him on the way home. What does he know?

 

Okay so Louis is 17, born on Christmas Eve, has a lovely mother and a sister named Lottie. The boy has blue eyes, brown hair and has a weird thing against limes. Maybe childhood trauma of some sorts? He’d have to look into that.

 

And about Louis, he also just lost his father and is grieving and perhaps not thinking straight, not straight at all Harry thinks and grins foolishly. Anyways he’s not thinking straight and Harry has just forced himself onto Louis these last days. Well not literally, he would never do that.

 

When Louis had dropped onto his knees Harry had finally woken up from everything. What were they doing? Louis is obviously confused, Harry can’t let that happen again. The fact that he wasn’t able to stop him was bad enough. Maybe the universe itself had interfered and made Louis faint. I mean what if it had happened and the next day Louis would have just kicked him out and he would’ve never seen the blue-eyed boy again?

 

It had all happened so fast for them and they don’t even know each other’s yet. Maybe they’re just better off as friends from now on. Then later, who knows?

 

Harry looks at the ceiling in his thoughts for so long that he starts to see shapes in it. One looks just like a heart. Or a dinosaur with four hands that’s joggling three flaming human heads, who are screaming for help while balancing on top of a pile of dancing mirrors. 

 

It’s really hard to tell. 

 

~

 

Harry opens his eyes reluctantly. It feels like his eyelids are weighing a ton and the bright Monday morning is burning his corneas. His head is pounding and his feet and arms are numb. What did he do last night? Seriously, did he fall into a coma and it’s been three years and he’s finally waking up? 

 

The realization hits him as he tries to move his limbs. He’s still on the floor. He fell asleep on the floor. A shrieking wave of pain shoots trough his body and every muscle he has and doesn’t have are trying to commit suicide. Okay, so his feet and arms aren’t numb. That’s proven at least.

 

Every movement hurts like hell as Harry struggles up from his almost grave. Why is he like this? Third time this week. He has a nice bed, a really, really nice bed, why can’t he use it? It has a thick mattress and a pillow that might as well be filled with feathers, and sheets so soft and caressing that–

 

Harry may have trailed off a bit.

 

But it’s not like Harry’s stupid or something, he’s not. He just is tired all the time with all the work and worrying, and now that he has to think of Louis, life is even more energy taking. And it’s not like anyone’s here to wake Harry up and tell him to go to bed. No one’s been doing that in a long time.

 

Oh no, he’s drifted into the dark corners of his mind again. Harry’s not one of those people who tries to barricade all his feeling inside but sometimes everything just feels a bit too much. When it hits him that he is all alone in this world it’s, it’s not the dream you know. He’d rather have his family here with him, alive. I mean, who doesn’t?

 

Besides there’s no one to talk about it with. There’s no relatives, Harry doesn’t really have a lot of friends. Liam was his only friend for so long and Liam knows everything but he can’t pour it all over Liam everytime he’s feeling a bit out of it. The poor kid always gets so sad and Harry’s afraid he’s pulling him with him. 

 

But it’s quite alright really. He was so sad at the beginning but he’s grown into it. Just like Jay said, you come to terms with it cause you have to. And Harry’s not depressed or anything, don’t get him wrong, sometimes it would just be nice to have someone.

 

But he does now, actually. He still has Liam and now he also has Zayn, and Niall. And Louis. Harry smiles alone in his empty apartment. He smiles, cause he can.

His stomach’s grumble stops him from smiling though, food.

 

His fridge is full and he starts to pull all kinds of things out of it. He puts on his apron that has this funny text saying _head of the house_ , cause you know, he’s the only residence of this place. Harry chuckles a little to himself. God he’s funny.

 

So, food. He puts water into a pot and puts it on the stove next to a frying pan and starts to cook. That reminds him, tomorrow is Tuesday and Tuesday means dinner at Louis’ house. What if Louis doesn’t want him there? What if he and his mother talk about everything and he gets a cold glance from Jay and a door to his face. And what if Lottie knows and she giggles the whole dinner through. Or hits him with a frying pan.

 

That reminds him, the frying pan probably needs something in it. In goes the meat and he’s back to his images of Tuesday. Okay, surely he’s overreacting everything will go down smoothly and perhaps he and Louis get a chance to talk it out. You know, that maybe they should just be friends.

 

He throws the pasta into the boiling water and realizes that he just woke up and this will be his breakfast. God he’s so out of it today. To be fair he slept quite long, which is a miracle on that floor, and it’s already two o’clock. 

 

Harry stacks the food into his plate and goes to the table. He actually is a quite good cook, which of course does come in handy if you’re in the catering business. But he isn’t just good at it, he likes it. He really, really likes cooking. Maybe he should actually invite the guys over sometime and make them something. It would be nice.

 

~

 

“She invited you to dinner?”

 

Harry squirms under his friend’s look who is a bit too excited. It’s just food after all. Liam’s been spending too much time with Niall. “Yeah, just a dinner Liam, stay in your pants I’m not Zayn.”

 

Liam shoots him a small glare but there’s a smile hiding in it. 

 

“Talking on which, how are you two doing?” Harry asks cause he’s a good friend. “Is it just good sex”, he stops to wiggle his eyebrows, “or is it something more?” He leans closer from Liam’s bed where he is sprawled on his stomach chin in his hands. Come on puppy eyes, give me something good.

 

“Do you really wanna know? Liam asks. 

Harry’s a bit hurt I mean they are friends and Harry lives vigorously through Liam. Of course he wants to know.

 

He nods eagerly.

 

Liam’s eyes ignite and he quickly climbs to the bed next to Harry who lets Liam to shimmy under the blanket with him. “Okay so we at the party right?” A rhetorical question to which Harry nods. “He had escaped from your horrified stares and returned to me because he had promised you that I wouldn’t have to be alone. We just kind of talked at first, about stupid stuff and I talked about the weather cause I’m stupid but he kinda just laughed at that. Then he asked if I wanted a drink–“

 

“Wait, wait, wait”, Harry interrupts. “How quickly is this going to turn dirty? Is there any drama coming? Do I need to make popcorn?”

 

Liam laughs at him. “Harry what the fuck, if you don’t take this seriously I don’t have to tell you.”

 

“Nooooo. No, no, no, no please tell me, you’re all I got”, he squeaks. “I’ll behave.”

 

“Okay.” Liam waits a bit. “So then he asked–“

 

“I just really like popcorn.”

 

“Oh my god Harry!” Liam rolls his eyes with a given up laugh. “Go get your goddamn popcorn.”

 

Harry’s already halfway out of the room when Liam finishes his sentence. “I love you!” he yells as he falls down the stairs. 

 

They’re back in the bed in the exact same positon except Harry now has a bowl full of popcorn and also a couple of bruises. Liam’s trying so hard not to laugh. A deep glare is sent to his way. “Right, the story.”

 

“So then he asked if I wanted a drink and I told him I was driving.” Harry nods mouth filled with popcorn. “So he said I can spend the night there if I want”, Liam keeps a dramatic pause. “And he had that look in his face.” Harry gasps, and almost chokes but that’s not important, that look, huh. Oh this should be good. Okay don’t judge him, this is all life has to offer him right now.

 

“So did you get that drink?”

 

Liam smiles at him wickedly. Oh that devil. 

 

“Ten minutes and we were in bed I think.”

 

Harry claps in his mind. Well done guys, well done.

 

“And now you see each other almost every day”, he says and pokes Liam in the ribs. 

 

“I actually think”, Liam says awkwardly. Yes? Yes? “that I might be falling for him.”

 

“Oh honey”, Harry ruffles Liam’s hair, “it’s written all over you.”

 

Liam laughs and tries to push Harrys hand away. They wrestle there for a bit and then Harry lets his captive, The Liam’s Hair, go. He sighs.

 

“What is it?” Liam asks him while trying to save his precious locks. 

 

“It’s just that I don’t have anyone.” It’s true, he has friends and his friends love him but just seeing Liam and Zayn together, he just feels lonely.

 

“But what about Louis?”

 

“Yeah, well I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

 

“Well you have had your fair share of people already so don’t worry.” Liam puts his hand on Harrys shoulder and shakes it reassuringly.

 

“Yeah, but they were all just one night stand or something like that. There’s never been any feelings along. It’s true that Harry’s had his share of boys in his bed but it was all just sex really. After he had lost his family he had gone totally out of it. Bars, clubs, alcohol, no seriously he’s pretty sure his blood was pure alcohol for quite some time. He had someone in bed almost everyday and he doesn’t think he could name even half of them. He had been a mess.

 

But not anymore. Harry was just Harry again and that Harry was lonely. But it isn’t even that bad, things could be a lot worse. He has friends and a job and he doesn’t really have a shortage of money either.

 

Liam snaps his fingers in front of his friends face. “Wakey wakey, earth to Harry?” 

 

Harry swats his hand away laughing. “I’m here, I’m here put down the fingers.”  
Then he listens to more Zayn and Liam stories.

 

~

 

Harry’s palms are sweaty. His hand are never sweaty. Well unless of course it’s really hot or something, naturally. But it’s not a warm day, it’s a quite a chill day actually and Harry’s about to ring the doorbell.

 

He’s standing on the front door, he’s wearing black pants and a long-sleeved dark grey shirt with small birds on it. He likes the birdies on it. Maybe he’ll get a tattoo of them in the future or something. Okay, here goes nothing.

 

Jay opens the door with a fond smile. “Harry I’m so glad you could make it. What is that?” Harry offers her the wine he brought. “Oh no, you shouldn’t have. You’re a guest.” Jay’s face falls a bit but she takes the bottle.

 

“Mum who is it?” a small and high voice shouts from where Harry assumes the dinner table is. 

 

“Come on in Harry and I’ll introduce you to the rest of the family.” Harry does as told.

 

“This is Harry loves. He’s our guest tonight so be nice.”

 

Four heads shoot up to stare at Harry. Wait, Louis has four sisters? They all smile friendly at him and the two youngest ones spring to hug Harry’s legs. “Don’t be afraid, you are very welcomed and we’ll be really nice to you.” one of the little ones says.

 

“And I like your smile”, the other one says.

 

Harry chuckles softly to them and smiles. They are cute. “Do you have names you little cute midgets?”

 

The girls giggle in unison. “We’re not midgets you silly.”

 

“You’re not?” Harry says in shock and gasps.

 

“No”, the one hanging on his left leg says, “I’m Phoebe and that’s Daisy.”

 

“It’s nice to meet you Phoebe and Daisy not midgets.”

 

The girls giggle some more and the other two girls behind the table watch them with fond eyes.

 

“I’m Charlotte but please call me Lottie.”

 

“Félicité”, she keeps a small brake. “Fizzy.”

 

Harry smiles at them too and tries to move but it ends up being a faltering waddle that leads nowhere. Phoebe and Daisy are still holding on strongly.

 

“Girls you better let go cause you’re blocking my view of those legs”, a smiling boy laughs as he walks out of the kitchen and into the room. 

 

“Louis”, Harry exclaims happily and a bit surprised.

 

“Hello Harry.”

 

All the paleness on Louis’ face from Sunday is gone, so he must have been eating. Harry’s relieved.

 

“The food’s already ready so if you all want to sit down”, Jay calls from the kitchen where she had returned without anyone noticing. 

 

The girls finally let go and go to the table. Harry sits next to them, Louis sit opposite of him and Fizzy and Lottie sit next to Louis. Jay brings the food and sit at the head of the table. “Dig in”, she finally says.

 

Lottie and Fizzy chatter something about the future school year and Phoebe and Daisy are both building a tower of food of some sorts. He and Louis are exchanging small looks but not speaking and Jay is trying to make the twins stop the mighty tower building.

 

“Harry”, Daisy finally gives up when her tower takes a huge dive in the gravy. 

 

“Yeah?” Harry asks while trying to avoid the gravy splatters that are attacking him with his napkin.

 

“Are you Louis’ boyfriend?”

 

A choking sound across the table is heard and Harry assumes it’s Louis. “Um”, he says confused.

 

“No Daisy honey, Harry’s not my boyfriend.” Louis says after gulping down some water. Yeah, it was definitely him, who was chocking. 

 

“But on Sunday I woke up and heard someone in your room with you and you were chanting Harry.”

 

Harry’s turn to choke.

 

Lottie and Fizzy are giggling and Jay looks a little taken a back.

 

“I was actually just visiting. Louis wasn’t feeling very well and I helped him home.” It’s almost the truth.

 

“Why was he repeating your name?”

 

Okay why is this little kid talking about this? Why does she know about these things? “As I said Louis was feeling ill, he hadn’t really eaten that day I suppose and he was asking me to bring him food or something.” He smiles his most convincing smile. 

 

Daisy just shrugs and starts to build his empire again trying to catch up Phoebe and the other two girls have stopped giggling but they have knowing smiles on their faces. 

 

“Louis was a bit under the weather the whole Monday”, Jay says finally. “You were really pale and eating a lot but I didn’t realize the reason because you always eat a lot”, she continues smiling warmly.

 

Louis pouts at that and Harry chuckles lowly. He nudges Louis leg under the table for encouragement and returns to his food.

 

The roasted beef is delicious, which he tells to Jay who looks really proud and happy, the gravy and home-made mash are just heavenly. There’s also some roasted vegetables, carrots and others, and fresh salad. Harry wonders if they always eat like this or if it’s just cause he’s here.

 

“Harry are you the one who puts lime in his tea?” Lottie suddenly asks.

 

“Um, yes that’s me.” Oh no.

 

“I actually tasted it and it was really good!”

 

Oh. She did like lime in her tea unlike Louis had told him. He narrows his eyes to Louis who is currently counting the spikes of his forks all over and over again trying to avoid eye contact. Sneaky little minx Harry laughs in his mind.

 

“Why lime?” Lottie continues. “Where did you get the idea?”

 

Where did he get that idea? He doesn’t remember. “I don’t remember”, he says honestly. “I mean lemon and lime are quite similar, both citrus.”

 

“They’re not similar”, Louis finally chimes in, forgetting his fork.

 

“Oh no, not again.”

 

“The other one is a lemon, the other one is a lime.” Louis waves his hands wildly for an effect. “Have you tried grapefruit then? Or kumquats?”

 

“N-no I haven’t.”

 

“So you’re only using lime then, oh I see.”

 

“Louis it’s only fruit I seriously don’t understand where all this is coming from.” Maybe now’s the right time to ask. “Did limes pick on you as a kid?” he says quite seriously looking but his mouth is twitching upwards. 

 

“Limes are not to be put in tea, who puts lime in their tea?”

 

“Louis again, it’s only fruit and it doesn’t even harm your life in any way. Louis please just calm down.”

 

“You calm down, calm down and drink some tea with you precious lime in it and cure the world with it’s power.”

 

“Honestly I’m so confused right now.”

 

“We can all hail the lime god and swim in tea and build an utopia based on the power of mighty limes.”

 

“Please remember to breathe Louis.”

 

“I want dessert.” 

 

Everyone turns to look at Daisy who is currently tearing her napkin and has totally been ignorin the lime conversation. 

 

Harry chuckles a bit from all the tension. This is ridiculous. He hears how Louis also huffs a laugh and nudges his foot as an apology. So, dessert.

 

They’re eating blueberry pie with ice cream in the living room while chatting lowly and watching Disney movies. Harry loves how casual this dinner has been cause he likes it. Just a cozy night in. He misses them sometimes. He had forgotten how warm it feels to have people around you. Having a family. 

 

They watch the little mermaid twice cause the twins insisted it until they gave in. And if Harry read the situation correctly, Louis was rooting for them.

 

It’s getting late and Jay leaves to put the twins to bed. When she comes back Lottie and Fizzy are carrying the plates to the kitchen and about to leave. She sit down next to Louis who is resting his head on Harry’s shoulder. His eyes are closed.

 

“You have any other plans for summer holiday?” Jay whispers to Harry.

 

“Nothing specific really. Just some work and friends I guess.”

 

“Mm”, she hums understandingly, “that’s sounds relaxing.”

 

It’s basically night time and the room is dim, only a few candles shimmering light into the air. It’s summertime but it’s been quite dark for the past few weeks. Right now Harry doesn’t mind at all. Everything’s so warm and comforting in this room right now. Louis is inhaling softly in his neck, the blanket wrapped around them is so puffy and warm and Jay’s nurturing smile melts his heart.

 

Lottie and Fizzy have escaped and Jay also stands up from the sofa. “I’m so tired, time to go to bed”, she laughs silently. “Please blow out the candles before you abandon this room.” Harry nods and Jay walks to the stairs. “Oh and Harry.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“It’s quite late, you can stay the night if you just let your parents know.”

 

“Y-yeah, that won’t be a problem. Yeah.”

 

“Goodnight.” Jay leaves upstairs.

 

“You want to stay over?” Louis mumbles and nuzzles deeper into Harry’s neck.

 

“You’re awake?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Oh.

 

“I didn’t know the twins were sleeping in the house, I had no idea that they would be left alone here.”

 

“It’s okay”, Harry says and starts to stroke Louis’ hair slowly. “No harm done.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me that you were doing the catering?”

 

“What, but I did tell you?” he asks baffled, hand slowing in Louis’ hair.

 

“No but that the catering firm was yours. That you’re the owner.”

 

“Oh, I didn’t think it was important.”

 

“Don’t stop.”

 

Harry continues his hair stroking. Louis’ hair is so soft. He rubs little circles on his head and Louis turns more sideways, lacing his hand on Harry’s lap. 

 

“That position can’t be comfortable”, he states to the boy.

 

“Mm”, he just purrs, “but you smell so nice.”

 

What? Harry chuckles taken aback a bit. I mean he totally understands. Louis is smelling like lemons and warmth. He brushes his nose carefully against Louis’ hair and just breathes. He can’t feel his leg but he doesn’t want to move.

 

“Louis”, Harry finally says.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“It’s about Sunday.”

 

“Oh”, Louis tenses up a bit but doesn’t move. “Yeah?”

 

“Um, I mean we haven’t known each other for long and I feel like we’re both just jumping in to things.”

 

“Listening.”

 

“Maybe, right now, we’re better off just as friends?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Oh. Yeah. Okay.

 

“Yeah”, Harry repeats after Louis.

 

“Do you still want to stay over?” Louis finally asks. “As friends.”

 

“Yeah”, he moves his numb leg a bit, “yeah, I’d like that.”

 

They stay there for a bit longer and then they finally get up. They both sway a little with their numb limbs and blood rushes but no one’s takes any real damage. Harry blows off the candles while Louis shuts the TV and then they head upstairs.

 

Louis takes them to his room and starts to search pajama pants of some sorts that Harry could borrow. “Here, these should fit”, he says and throws them to Harry.

 

“Thanks”, he says and even catches the pants. Then they both take their clothes off in silence and neither of them look. Except Harry sees a glimpse of Louis bare back and stops breathing for a second. No Harry. No. To his fortune, or misfortune, Louis puts on a white shirt and that’s the end of that.

 

They both crawl onto Louis’ bed, which is so soft that Harry just wants to cuddle it and make it his home. Instead he cuddles Louis. Yes they cuddle and there’s nothing weird about that. They’re mutual friends and this way it’s cozier. They both had agreed on it.

 

Louis’ back is against Harry’s chest and he has enveloped the smaller boy. They don’t say anything and for the first time in forever Harry actually wants to stay awake and just hold the boy in front of him. He nuzzles his nose into Louis’ neck and refuses to come out. This is what he has been missing. The lovely lemony sent fills his head and he wonders how he can miss someone who is right in front of him. He falls asleep listening to Louis’ even breathing and dreams about happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adding a bit more emotions there. Do you think they made the right decision?


	5. Stories are dangerous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Louis' side of the story.

Louis nibbles on the food Harry had left him. God it tastes delicious, where did he learn how to cook like that? Well I mean he does work for a catering firm but all Louis knows he could be just a cleaner boy or something. He keeps stuffing his face and his head is starting to feel better. Someone comes inside the house. 

Someone is climbing up the stairs.

Did Harry come back?

The door opens. Louis holds his breath.

“Louis?”

It’s his Mum. Louis puts down the piece of food he was holding and looks at the person at the door. So, no Harry this time. Why is he disappointed? No, Louis you have to figure this all out later, right now you need to eat.

“Yeah?” he asks trying to stop the crumbs from falling out of his mouth.

“Oh that looks good”, his mother says and Louis makes room for her on the bed and waves towards the plate. Jay sits down and picks something to eat. “Why didn’t you tell me that Harry and you were friends love?” she asks with a soft voice.

Louis’ a bit puzzled. “What do you mean Mum? Do you know Harry?”

“Of course I know, he was our caterer at the funeral after all. He didn’t tell you?” his mother says while looking at him funny.

“Well I knew he was there with the catering firm but I didn’t expect you to know every single worker individually. Just the owners.”

His mother is still looking at him funny. “Honey”, there’s a small pause, “Harry is the owner.”

Louis inhales the crumbs in his mouth and the apocalypse starts. Louis just coughs and tries to breathe while his mother is tapping his back with worry and offering him water. Louis tries to understand. Harry has his own fucking firm? Why wasn’t he informed about it?

Louis is finally able to draw air in to his lungs again and his mother leaves him to rest and eat. For some reason though Louis can’t sleep so he just eats slowly from the plate and watches weird videos from YouTube through his phone.

 

~

 

Louis regrets everything in the morning. His eyes are puffy, his head hurts and he just wants to sleep for a week. Plus he’s hungry again.

He scrambles out of bed and just stand still for a while. Stupid world just keeps spinning. He takes one step and everything goes splendidly. He takes another step and the world turns quite quickly at the same time and he’s being sent spinning backwards back to the bed. Okay five minutes of spooning the pillow and then another try. 

 

He does find out how to use his equilibrioception again and get downstairs eventually. He had switched into his soft grey sweatpants and a plain white tee after realizing that he was still wearing the clothes from last night. The pants are so soft that Louis just strokes his leg while waiting for the water to boil.

They’re his favourite pants in the whole wide world. He sleeps in them sometimes when he wants to feel all warm and fuzzy and safe. He wears them when he’s having a bad day or feeling sick. And no one has been let even close to the pants after Fizzy almost burned them once.

The water boils and Louis lets his leg free starting to make his tea. With lemon of course. He hunts around the kitchen finding all kinds of food and just stacks everything on a tray finally ready to head back upstairs.

“Louis?”

Louis looks over the food and is able to see his mother looking at him worriedly. “Morning Mum”, he chirps happily because he’s happy. He has a truckload of food with him after all.

“Um, is everything alright love you’re looking a bit pasty”, his mother is staring now at the food. 

“I’m just feeling a bit light headed that’s all”, Louis assures while taking steps towards the stairs. “Just need to rest a bit”, the first step, “and eat.”

“Alright sweetie, but do you think you’ll be okay by tomorrow?” his mother is following his every waddly step with her eyes.

“Why what’s tomorrow?”

“Dinner.”

Louis stops the waddling. Dinner?  
“Dinner?”

“Yes love dinner”, her mother repeats with a soft laugh. “You know where people eat.”

“Who’s coming then?” 

“Harry.”

What? Harry? No, that can’t be right. Why would Harry come here?

He picks up his pace of waddling away and tries to push it to the back of his head. Why is he freaking out like this? It’s just dinner and at least Harry can’t say anything about their, well, encounter in his room with his family there. Wait, what if he does?

He puts on his normal face up the stairs. “Yeah I’ll be fine by then don’t worry.”

 

Louis is splayed on his bed munching his food and just falling into his thoughts. So Harry is coming here tomorrow. Into his house and he know his Mum. Brilliant. And oh yeah hey he owns a catering firm. He owns a fucking firm and Louis had no idea. He was about to give the boy a blowjob and he didn’t even know that much.

Okay it was just a blowjob and it didn’t even have any feelings involved. Maybe it did maybe it didn’t. But just like Louis told Zayn he is not a slut, so a slut he shall not be. They will go on a date. Yes they shall go on a proper date and Louis going to ask.

He ignores the way his stomach flutters like there’s butterflies or something in there and starts to realize his decision. A date then. Yes it can’t be that bad. If they like each other still then good and if they don’t then they will just go their separate ways.

Louis hums in content and closes his eyes. He’s pretty sure that he’s smiling and he likes it. Truth to be told he likes this feeling a lot. Everything’s just so calm and still. He knows exactly what this situation is calling for.

He whips out his phone and starts to watch Disney films from it. He has food, bed, Disney and an assortment of butterflies in his stomach. 

It’s been worse.

 

~

 

It’s Tuesday. Fizzy is running around the table putting on plates and such and making sure that everything is lined up perfectly. Lottie is helping their Mum in the kitchen making salad or something at the moment and Jay is moving in the kitchen like it’s choreographed. Phoebe and Daisy are trying to spy the dessert menu. Everyone stops when Louis steps into the kitchen.

“No”, is splattered from somewhere and Louis’ not sure who said it. Maybe they all said it.

“What I want to help”, he just says going deeper into the kitchen. 

“No”, okay that was Phoebe. He thinks.

He ignores them all and just keeps walking. “And I can’t seem to understand what all this fuzz is about. I mean it’s just a Harry coming over to eat something.”

“A Harry?”

“Yes, a Harry and I’m pretty sure he’s eating everything we have to offer happily.”

“But we haven’t had anyone in the house in such a long time Louis”, his mother whines. “It’ll be fun, dessert and everything.” All the girls are nodding out of excitement.

“Yeah, I hear ya”, he stops in front of a pan. “But I just wanted to say that there’s no need to take pressure or anything, I’m sure Harry wouldn’t want that.”

Lottie shoos him away from the pan. “What? I still want to help”, Louis says but moves away from the precious pan. 

“Oh honey of course you can help you can…” Louis shoots her mother a waiting look, “Um…”

“Yes?”

“You can set the table.”

“Already done Mum”, Fizzy says proudly still fidgeting one of the forks.

“Oh well, I guess that’s that then”, his mother says and turns back to the potatoes hoping it all to be over.

It’s not over though. Louis moves again and stops where the gravy is on the stove. “Nonsense I can just stir this.” Everyone turns to look in horror shaking their heads. Louis puts his hand on the handle of the pot and turns it just a bit. The flames on the gas stove fly high up without any explanation and everyone just stares, Louis being the only one who’s surprised.

He turns to look at his Mum with a sheepish smile. “Now that was just a coincidence, had nothing to do with me”, he says and accidentally nudges a full salt shaker into the pot. He just stares the sinking salt. “I think it needed a bit more salt”, he tries. No one moves a muscle. “Leaving the premises”, he announces and walks out of the kitchen nearly stabbing himself three times even though he doesn’t have a knife.

“How is he even alive?” he hears someone say in the kitchen.

 

The doorbell rings and Louis is in the kitchen again. He had been allowed back in if he swore that he wasn’t going to touch anything. He feels something in his stomach turn once again and this time it’s from suspense. What if he says no? What if Harry doesn’t want to go out with him and he’ll look like an idiot. 

What is Louis thinking? It would be Harry who’d be the fool. Only a fool would deny this arse and face. Oh yeah and personality, that’s somewhere there too. He then hears Harry talking to the twins. Oh no.

He slides from the kitchen seeing Harry with two excess accessories gripping his legs. His lovely legs. “Girls you better let go cause you’re blocking my view of those legs”, he hears himself saying. Harry looks up to him and his whole fucking face brightens up. Fuck he’s so gorgeous.

The dinner goes quite well and Louis just relaxes and lets himself enjoy the food. Then Daisy asks if Harry is his boyfriend and the piece of meat Louis was chewing ends up in his lungs. He coughs in panic trying to get some air and downs almost all the water from his glass.  
“No Daisy honey”, he just denies it all with a raspy voice. It is the truth after all. Harry’s not his boyfriend.

It turns out the twins were at home on Sunday sleeping. Except that Daisy wasn’t sleeping and heard him and Harry. Wonderful. What were the twins doing in the house alone anyway? Harry survives from the situation with honor though if you just outlook the smiles Fizzy and Lottie gave them. 

Harry’s the ultimate guest in every way. That charming bastard. He compliments the food and talks with his lovely voice and is just looking fucking stunning. Louis is pretty sure his whole family is in love with Harry Styles. Excluding Louis of course. Louis doesn’t love Harry, just likes him an adequate amount. Though he might love his hair, and hands, and eyes, and his smile. And other things.

His stomach is swirling and it all starts to feel too much. This gorgeous man is sitting opposite of him, his eyes glimmering while he is telling everyone else the armadillo story. What if he says no? What if he says yes but they part ways. Louis’ feeling a bit sick. A lot sick actually.

Then Lottie brings out the limes and Harry shoots him a look while Louis counts the fork spikes. He likes limes. Harry and Lottie keep talking. They’re quite different Louis supposes. Harry is still talking. What if he says no?

“They’re not similar”, he joins the conversation and his mouth stops taking orders. He just keeps talking and watching how Harry’s face falls and he just can’t stop it. Everything is a mess inside of Louis’ head and he can’t quite understand yet why he’s being like this. Harry is reminding him to breathe but he can’t seem to find any oxygen from the air and he can even feel tears forming in his eyes. What the fuck is he doing?

 

God bless Daisy, Louis thinks while eating his blueberry pie next to Harry. Neither of them mention lime or the conversation and Louis thanks Harry in his mind for that.

“Can we please watch The Little Mermaid again?” Daisy whines.

“Pleaseeee”, Phoebe begs with her.

She can always count on his girls. A rerun of Ariel is always something Louis is up to. He crosses his fingers while the twins just chant please, please, please in unison, maybe he even is chanting with them at some point, he’s not sure. And when the rest of the family finally gives in Harry gives him an amused looks but Louis just ignores it and captures Harry under the blanket with him.

Ariel is waving his father goodbye in her wedding dress and Louis is feeling extremely tired. His head is swaying and feels heavy and the relaxing warmth of Harry pressed against his side isn’t helping. He lets his head fall on Harry’s shoulder and closes his eyes. Yes, this is where he’ll spend the rest of his life thank you very much.

After a moment he’s not sure whether he’s awake or not and he’s just drifting between the dream and reality. Though Harry is quite dreamy to be honest. 

He can hear his mother sitting down next to him but he’s too tired and comfortable to react. So he just keeps inhaling Harry’s neck and listens them speaking. His mother is telling Harry to stay the night. That is an interesting idea. Louis smiles his eyes still closed. Maybe he could ask him out now.

“You want to stay over?” he asks and tries to sink in further on Harry’s neck. His soft lovely hair is tickling his face but he doesn’t care. Prefers it even.

“You’re awake?” Harry asks and moves his head a little. Louis takes advantage of the situation and nuzzles even closer.

“Yeah”, he tells Harry’s neck still keeping his eyes closed. He also apologizes about the twins to Harry’s neck and asks why it didn’t tell him about the catering firm. Louis’ not even bothered about it anymore, he just wants to stay there cause it’s warm and cozy and Harry is stroking his hair. 

Louis wants to get even closer so he turns sideways putting his hand on Harry’s lap. Harry doesn’t move anywhere and keeps petting him.

“That position can’t be comfortable”, Harry just says with a soft voice. Louis has to agree on that one but Harry just smells so nice. He tells him that.

Then Harry brings up Sunday. Crap. Louis doesn’t feel relaxed anymore. He doesn’t move away though cause that would require effort and moving away from Harry. He tries to relax and tells Harry to go on. Maybe he is actually asking him out and then Louis doesn’t have to.

“Maybe, right now, we’re better off just as friends?”

What? “Yeah.” No.

He can feel Harry’s shoulders fall just a bit with Louis’ face. Friends? But Louis wanted to ask him on a date. He breathes in and tries to make his head work again. Harry was right about them not knowing each other and jumping into things. And he did emphasize the right now in the phrase. This is good Louis thinks to himself. Friends is good.

“Do you still want to stay over?”

Harry wants to stay over and when they finally fumble out of their warm cocoon of a blanket they head upstairs to Louis’ room. They have a guest room down in the basement but Harry doesn’t need that knowledge. He’s pretty sure Harry would want to have a sleepover anyway rather than curl up alone. He assumes.

He goes straight to his wardrobe and searches for pants to Harry. His hand finds something and he starts to think the day backwards. Harry was so happy out there with his family. Like he wasn’t used to all that warmth and Disney and stuff. Maybe his parents are quite strict. Maybe that’s why he has his own firm, to make money and stuff cause his parents are assholes or something. He pulls the pants out from the cabinet and throws them to Harry.

They change their clothes and climb under the duvet. Harry cuddles him in and Louis feels so fucking warm. In a good way though, not in an I’ll sweat my brains out kind of way. Harry’s so soft behind him. Louis gives half of the credit to the soft grey sweatpants that Harry is wearing. He falls asleep with Harry breathing his neck.

 

~

 

Louis wakes up to a mouthful of hair. He chokes, screams, fumbles and finally falls out of bed with a loud thud. A head full of hair peeks from the edge of the bed looking tired and amused. Oh, right it’s Harry in his bed and not some wild beats. Harry’s amused smile is widening threateningly. 

“Don’t laugh”, Louis says coldly. 

Harry laughs and Louis’ stomach twirls. Oh and Harry gets a pillow to his face.

 

~

 

“And that’s the end of that”, Louis stops and looks at his friends. They all look at him baffled and on a verge of sleeping.

“When I told you to tell everything I didn’t mean it”, Zayn says.

“So many details”, Niall says eyes empty. And scared?

“And you didn’t have to tell everything in the present tense”, Zayn continues. 

“He talked about himself in third person”, Liam looks a bit astonished and also scared.

“You never let me wear those pants”, Niall speaks totally zoned out.

“You almost gave him a blowjob?” Lottie asks curiously.

Wait, Lottie? “Lottie what are you doing in here, that’s so gross oh my god why are we related”, Louis blurs eyes wide nose scrunched up.

“I came here to tell you that Harry came, remember?”

What? “Where is he then?”

“Right here”, a hand rises from the floor.

What! Okay Louis really needs to stop telling stories that are as detailed as this and he needs to concentrate on the people that are coming into his room.

“How much did you hear?” he asks Harry with eyes even wider.

Harry thinks a while and then smiles in amusement. “I think it started with ´Louis nibbles on the food Harry had left him`”, he breaks a little laugh. Great he heard everything.

“Am I the only one wondering about the third person thing?” Liam asks from the wall in front of him still looking scared. 

“Lottie?”

“Yes my lovely big brother?”

“Get out.”

Lottie leaves probably only so she can tell Fizzy that their conspiracy was correct. Louis turns to look at Harry who is trying to stop his mouth twitching upwards. 

“You wanted to ask me out on a date?” Harry coos and his smile finally breaks out. It brakes out with a laugh though so Louis just pouts. This is so embarrassing. “I’m so sorry Lou I had no idea”, Harry just keeps laughing.

“Don’t call me Lou.”

“Sorry, sorry”, Harry says and breathes to maintain his serious face. “You still want to go?”

“No”, Louis pouts. “Just friends is good.”

“Okay.” 

Louis closes his eyes and falls flat to his bed. He can hear Harry giggling and Zayn might have joined him. Louis is never going to tell stories ever again.

The giggles stop.

They stop because Louis is good at throwing pillows at people. Never misses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! The next chapter will be long. Cause I can. *evil laughter*


	6. These friends are not to be trusted

The frozen pizza box freezes Louis’ fingers as he zooms out for a bit and just stares. He drops the box back into the store’s big freezer in shock with a loud yelp. He admits his defeat and leaves the frozen product–section without a pizza and fingertips numb.

He decides to abandon the whole market and enters a close by clothes shop to rub some warmth into his fingertips. The woolen shirt he’s caressing at the moment is so soft and warm and he just continues to hold on to it, ignoring the workers glares. What are they squinting at, maybe Louis is about to buy the shirt but just wants to be sure about the material? You know someone’s have sensitive skin and might want something soft.

He could have a use for a new shirt in the matter of fact. Okay, it’s decided Louis can take care of the whole ´this household needs food to survive´ situation later and go to the town to hunt for new clothes. Now, who should he call?

”Louis?” Niall’s voice asks through the phone.

”Nialler, love, mate, bestie, what are you doing right now?”

”Um, I’m with Zayn and Liam. We’re in the town, why?” Louis stops walking. 

“You, you went out without me?” He wonders if they do that often.

 _”Idiot don’t tell him we’re here”_ , can be heard from the background and it sounds like Zayn.

“No? No we’re not out without you silly”, nervous laughter. “Where do you get these ideas in your head?” An old lady walks right into Louis as he stands still in the middle of the road so he has to pick up his pace. 

“You just told me remember?” His fingertips still feel cold.

“Um”, a long silence falls upon their phones and now Louis’ actually a bit worried. What’s going on? “It’s all innocent I swear but right now I can’t help you.” Louis sighs as an answer. “Okay good, love you!” Niall exclaims and closes the line before Louis can even register everything. 

Maybe they’re buying him a present. I mean that’s an explanation and a bloody good one on top of it. It’s better be a gift, a big gift. Assholes.

So, what now? His threesome is occupied and even though he has more friends than them he’s just not as, well, close with them. More like hanging in the school halls when there’s no one else. And they’re all setting to collages so they’re not really in touch anymore.

That leaves Harry.

Don’t get Louis wrong he likes Harry, likes him a lot. There’s just this small detail that they haven’t really hung out just the two of them. As friends. Part of it might be cause it’s Friday and on Wednesday he had told the story. On Thursday he had just only watched something crappy and eaten.

But it’s still their first time alone as friends and that’s the only reason why Louis is feeling extremely nervous when he writes the message.

_Hi I was wondering if maybe, perhaps, you would like to hang out tonight? Like right now._

He sends the message and his mind starts to tell him all the reasons why he shouldn’t have done that. But it’s too late now Louis thinks and just stares at the screen. Harry hasn’t seen it yet.

Nor yet.

Okay Louis needs to calm down, it’s not that of a big deal right? Maybe he’s busy, or asleep, or–

A car parks not far from him and the driver opens his phone to write something.

–or driving. Louis snaps out of his stare when his phone buzzes.

 **Harry:** _Sure, I’m actually in my car and could pick you up. Where are you and where are we going?_

Louis smiles at the message and then lifts his head back to the black Ferrari and it’s curly driver.

_Look right :)_

Harry turns right from his phone his curls bouncing trying to keep up. He looks for a while but then locks eyes with Louis and his mouth turns into the widest smile Louis has ever seen. He waves for Louis to come in to the car his lovely big hand waving in the air.

Sunlight streams on Louis’ face as he walks making him squint a little but he has a sweet smile that rises in his eyes. Harry watches Louis walk and doesn’t break eye contact even when Louis is stepping inside the car.

“What a coincidence, who would have guessed”, he murmurs when Louis swigs his arse first into Harry’s car. Louis laughs and shakes his head in disbelief. “So, what do you want to do?”

“Well I was thinking town but”, the sunshine on Louis’ face disappears and they both look at the sky, “it seems that it might rain.” The sky is now full of clouds and neither of them have no idea where they just came from. A drop fall on to the hood of the car. They both turn to look at each other with wide eyes. “What is wrong with this country and it’s weather?”

“What is the plan B then?” Harry asks breaking the eye contact to start the car. 

Louis thinks for a while. “We could go to my place?” he throws and watches carefully Harry’s face for a reaction. “Remember that guest room I didn’t tell you about?” Harry’s face is still the same calm one. Good. “It’s actually more of a basement with a couch that you can turn into a bed and it has TV in there and everything”, Harry’s face brights up in the most promising way. “We could just get a million fuzzy blankets and hot chocolate, some food and just watch something?”

Harry starts to drive and the direction is the Tomlinson residence. “That sounds fun”, he says with a bashful smile, “I’d love that.”  
He tears his eyes off the road for a second to glance quickly at Louis only to find the other boy’s blue eyes staring fondly at him. This is nice, he thinks, a warm cozy feeling rising in his stomach. This is really nice.

 

~

 

The car pulled into a halt and both boys looked outside with terror in their eyes. It was raining so much that you hardly saw what was in front of you. It’s a miracle that they didn’t crash into something while driving really. They slowly turn to look at each other and nod at the same time.

Both car doors swing open and two boys glide out of the vehicle, screaming a war shout of some sorts and running with all their might to the house.

“Keys, keys, keys, keys”, Harry chants while Louis fumbles with his pockets and then with shaky hands tries to get the door open.

“It’s so cold!” Louis shouts desperately.

“I can’t feel my face!”

As soon as the door opens they both jump in and start to kick their wet shoes and socks off. Harry’s curls are almost straightened and the green in his eyes are sticking out of his pale skin. Louis has his hair glued to his skin, dropping water right in to his eyes. They’re both shivering and trying to push out of the hall.

“Boys what on Earth happened to you?” Jay asks as soon as her eyes land on the two shaking boys. “You’re both soaked.” Louis’ pretty sure there’s a smothered giggle in that sentence. 

“Rain. Upstairs. Warmth. Glrhuble”, is all Louis can get out of his mouth while Harry just nods to his every word. This time Jay doesn’t even try to hide her giggle and the boys start their way upstairs.

“O-okay we need warm clothes”, Louis says his teeth clacking together. He turns to look at Harry whose hair is dripping and stuck in his forehead. “And a towel perhaps.”

“Yeah that could come in handy”, Harry says his teeth clattering just as much. He catches Louis smirking at his wet hair. “Oi, you’re hair isn’t the best either”, he calls out. “Hedgehog.”

Louis huffs a laugh and tries to look offended. “Shut up you frog.”  
It’s Harry’s turn to laugh and they both turn to look into the mirror nodding in agreement. Louis spins in his heels to fetch a towel meanwhile Harry takes the liberty to search through Louis’ clothes trying to find something warm for them.

Soon they’re both dry enough and in new soft clothes. Harry is ruffling Louis’ hair with the towel and Louis is trying to swat him away. Harry’s laugh is somewhere between evil and amused and Louis can’t help but to join him. Harry stops to take a breath and Louis takes advantage of it, snatching the towel out of Harry’s hands and his hair and swatting Harry with it.

“No!” Harry cries out through his laughter. “It’s all wet and cold” he tries and starts running through Louis’ room trying to get away. His still wet hair tries to follow him but Louis kidnaps them into the towel. Harry yelps at the sudden tug of his hair and is forced to stop. Louis jumps onto Harry’s back, thighs squeezing so that he doesn’t fall.

“My turn!” he shouts victoriously kneading Harry’s scalp and hair with the towel. Harry whimpers under Louis’ might, still fitting a giggle every now and then, trying to discard his tormentor.

“Mercy! Mercy!” he half screams half laughs pulling his hair to freedom but failing. 

“Yield thee?” Louis asks with a dramatic voice.

“I will not yield!” Harry exclaims trying once more to drop Louis off his back. Louis’ thighs just tighten around his ribs and his hair gets a mighty tug. 

“Yield thee?” Louis tries again with even more dramatic voice.

“I yield! I yield!” Harry stutters middle of his laughs and screams the towel finally dropping to the floor. Louis unties his thighs and tries to drop down but Harry puts his arms around them locking Louis to his place.

“What, er, no!” Louis shrieks his legs kicking the air trying to get free from his captures grip. Harry just shoots him a sly smile almost running towards Louis’ bed. He jumps to the bed turning so that Louis will go first and die under him, while laughing maniacally. 

“Argh somebody help!” Louis laughs and heaves a breath, crushing under Harry. “You crazy big curly giant! I’m tiny I could’ve died!” he tries but can’t stop the giggles. Harry quickly rolls over him letting Louis breathe, almost choking in his own laughter.

“Your face! Your face!” is all that Harry gets out and he curls into Louis’ side burying his face into Louis’ neck laughing uncontrollably. They both lie there for a while just giggling even though it wasn’t even that funny. The adrenaline makes their heads feel light and happy. Giggles stop when Harry sneezes. 

“Alright”, Louis says while struggling to get up, “I think it’s time for some hot chocolate.”  
Harry’s goofy smile tells him he agrees and they fumble out of bed and head downstairs.

 

The hot chocolate burns the warmth into Harry’s hand as he carries the cups, following Louis to the basement. Louis at the moment is a hovering tower of blankets who is somehow balancing a bag of chips and candy on top of it all. Harry has a bottle of coke under his other arm and two bottles of water under his other. On top of his head he’s balancing two empty cups for their drinks just because he wanted to try if he could hold them there. So far they have almost fallen only three times.

“Tonight Harold”, the blanket tower announces in front of him, “we are going to get fat”, there’s a pause when the tower starts coughing, probably choking on some linen or something, “and be proud of it”, the talking duvet column ends. 

Harry chuckles at the sight in front of him and nods even though he knows Louis won’t see it. A pile of blankets is just waddling its way to the couch in the basement, tiny legs sticking out of it huffing a breath every now and then. The sight is just too amusing and damn cute that as soon as Harry has lowered the items on the table he grabs the couch searching blinded blanket-Louis, hugs him tight, and lets them fall onto the couch.

“Not again!” Louis yelps, crushing under Harry’s weight as Harry just cuddles into the mess that is the blankets and Louis. 

“Not my fault”, Harry just says hugging tighter, “why do you have to be so damn cuddly”, Louis can’t see anything under the blankets but he can still feel Harry’s goofy smile somewhere up there.

“Okay”, Louis starts trying to wiggle his head out of the layers, “now help me to return to the land of the living, please.”

Harry loosens his grip and starts peeling the blankets off of Louis. The blue eyed boy is staring right at Harry as his head is found from under the mess looking like a soft bird with his fluffy hair and Harry can’t stop the laugh that shoots from his lungs.

“What?” Louis asks with a high-pitched voice trying to defensively ruffle his hair back into some kind of formation. Harry stops his attempt because his hair is looking too soft and adorable. 

“You’re cute, that’s all love”, Harry coos and fishes Louis out of the blankets. Louis squints his eyes at Harry but his lips are twitching upwards and he doesn’t try to correct his hair anymore.

Stupid adorable Harry and his adorable dimples he just thinks to himself and buries them both under the blankets. Warmer and better they both decide and reach for their hot chocolates.

 

~

 

It’s been hours of watching strange shows, eating and talking about weird stuff but Louis isn’t even a bit tired. Harry’s laugh is so genuine and full of energy that it flows through Louis’ whole body making him chipper and relaxed. They’re still under the blankets sitting next to each other, their sides touching and Harry has his head on Louis’ chest, Louis tugging and petting Harry’s hair.

“That guy is so the murderer”, Harry mumbles leaning into Louis touch.

“This is a nature document love”, Louis chuckles, “about koalas.”

Harry turns his head into a weird position so he can see Louis. “Well it’s still possible”, he shrugs.

“What do you mean?” Louis asks, starting to braid one part of Harry’s hair. The hair runs out before Harry can start his sentence.

“Well that koala with crazy eyes murdered his brother with an alligator and then staged it as a suicide leaving a note on the sand and everything but little did he know that that bamboo cane over there witnessed everything and now he’s missing an alibi”, Harry rambles with his slow lovely slur.

“You’re crazy you know that right?” Louis laughs and tugs his hair gently. Harry closes his eyes at the feeling and nuzzles the back of his head closer to Louis’ chest.

“I’m very aware of that”, he chuckles. “Did you know that Liam’s afraid of koalas or something?”

“What?”

“Something about sex diseases I think”, Harry reveals lulling his head with Louis’ petting.

Louis starts laughing and Harry catches the strings from Louis’ hoodie and starts playing with them. “I have another theory”, he exclaims pointing at the TV.

“Oh, do tell!” Louis urges and stares straight at Harry with fond eyes as the younger boy talks.

“So the eucalyptus tree has had this grudge against Timothy, who is that fuzzy one, right? So one day he…”

And Louis doesn’t look away.

 

~

 

The boys hang out a lot after that. Sometimes it’s just Harry and Louis, sometimes it’s them and Niall and sometimes all of them. Louis and Harry have now known each other for about a month and they really enjoy spending time with each other. They’ve grown to be really close someone might say.

All the boys are at Zayn’s and Harry and Louis have taken over the bed cause otherwise it would just end with Zayn and Liam dry humping each other on the said bed and everyone else giving up and leaving. Niall’s sitting on the floor his head resting between Louis’ legs and Zayn and Liam are cuddled up together on an armchair.

Harry’s head is on Louis’ lap where he strokes and plays with Niall’s blond hair and Louis plays with Harry’s curly hair. No one’s really talking anymore, all of them falling into a comfortable silence.

Liam and Zayn are only snuggling in the armchair, thank the gods, whispering something, cute probably, in each other’s ears every now and then. Harry breaks the silence shuffling up from Louis’ lap.

“I was wondering guys”, he starts almost shyly leaning on the wall behind him drawing Louis’ closer with his hand on his waist, “if you would want to come over to my place in the near future?” Louis rests his head on Harry’s shoulder hugging him in. Niall sifts from the floor and goes to break Liam’s and Zayn’s stare by jumping on top of them.

“Our lovely curly friend has made an invitation into his humble home, lovebirds”, he cackles as the armchair lovers return to reality in horror. “So wakey, wakey.”

“We heard him, we heard him” Liam assures as they try to push Niall off of their lungs but the blond just wraps his arms around their necks and refuses to let go. 

Harry and Louis laugh at the sight of the two boys struggling with the cheerful Irish. “I live on my own so we could have a like, full on guys’ night or something”, Harry offers his eyes hopeful. “Thought I could do some cooking.”

“I’m in!” Niall shrieks at that at the same time he’s being pushed to the floor. Niall fumbles for a while with his limbs but gets up eventually throwing a glare at Liam and Zayn but smiling at the same time. “On one condition”, he says still looking the two lovebirds with a cheeky grin, “No dry humping!" he yells with his hands thrown in the air.

“No dry humping!” Harry repeats followed with Louis’ “Here here!” while Zayn and Liam pout.

“That’s settled then”, Niall says happily and climbs onto the bed where Harry and Louis envelope him between them into a bear hug. Their other hands drape over Niall hugging him tight and their other arms snake over Niall’s shoulder and meet in the middle. Harry starts to pet Louis’ hand with his thumb and Louis smiles.

 

~

 

Liam and Zayn wave at them when they three of them leave, Liam staying the night. Harry, Niall and Louis walk side by side Louis’ hand slipped on Harry’s waist. Harry has his both arms draped over his friends’ shoulders and they try to walk in the same rhythm as long as they can. Louis obviously complains cause he’s got the shortest legs and he has to basically jog to keep up. 

Finally Harry and Niall slows down their leaps and Louis can walk normally. They all stop and chatter for a while before Niall parts ways with them and then it’s just Louis and Harry.

“I didn’t know you lived on your own”, Louis starts the conversation, jumping over a puddle.

“Yeah, it’s quite nice to have the place to yourself but it gets lonely sometimes.”

“Do you miss your parents?” Harry stops in Louis arms and Louis stops with him.

“Terribly” Harry confesses with a sad voice and Louis starts to catch up that something’s not right in this picture.

“Um”, Louis tries to think how to ask but it’s hard cause he doesn’t know what to ask.

“They, um” Harry stutters, “they all died last year, my dad, mom and my sister”, he stops to swallow and breathe, Louis looking at him with wide eyes. “We were all alpine skiing in Switzerland, a proper holiday it was. They all went to the slope one day but I was sick so I stayed in the cabin. I was warming around the fire and enjoying myself when someone knocked on the door. There had been an avalanche and they all went down with it. They had found Gemma, my sister, under the snow but it was too late. My parents were never found.”

A whimper of some sorts rises from Harry’s throat and his eyes suddenly have tears on them. Louis pretty sure he’s crying with him as he pulls Harry closer by his waist and Harry let’s his head fall on Louis’ shoulder. “There was no relatives and I only had Liam at that point and his family was really supporting towards me. They let me stay there until the heritage stuff was cleared out and I got back on my feet”, Louis strokes Harry’s hair and listens. “I went to a really bad place for a moment, was just running and sleeping around but then I finally realized that I needed to get a grip and started that firm.”

“How did you have the money?” Louis asks softly and carefully, never lifting his hand from Harry’s curls. 

“Um, my family was quite rich and since there was no relatives left and I was kind of the only one so I inherited a lot of money. And I like cooking so catering seemed fun.” Harry sniffles a bit and Louis pulls him even closer, planting a little kiss on top of Harry’s head. The thought of Harry sitting in that cabin waiting and hoping but never getting any of them back sends shivers down Louis’ spine. The sight of Harry alone in the airport and on the airplane paints itself in Louis’ mind and shatters his heart into a million pieces. 

He turns so that their chest to chest and hugs Harry in as much as he can. He doesn’t want to let go of him, he doesn’t want Harry to be sad. He wants to see that goofy grin that lights up his eyes to emerald and hear his energizing laugh. He wants to give Harry everything he’s lost, he wants to hug him forever and protect him. He doesn’t want to let go of him.

Harry nuzzles his nose into the curve of Louis’ neck and Louis can feel him smile a bit even though it’s still infused with sadness and gloom. “Thank you”, Harry voices silently and sniffles. Louis holds him still in his hands.

“For what?” he asks baffled.

“For listening”, Harry tells, “and, and for being here”, Louis looks at the curls under his chin trying to figure out. “You know before you, I only really had Liam. You’ve brought more warmth in my life than you can comprehend. And that family dinner a while ago, it felt like home for a moment.”

Louis can’t stop the tears that start again and he pulls Harry closer yet again, even though it shouldn’t be possible. “Harry you can come over as much as you want” Harry whimpers something into his neck. “My family loves you, especially the little ones and I–“ Louis stops to think of the next words. “I like having you around and doing things with you cause you have reminded me that you don’t have to choose between holding the pain or expressing it through anger. You can always just let go.”  
Harry mumbles again something on Louis’ neck but this time he think he heard it.

“Don’t ever let me go.”

 

~

 

The kitchen is filled with steam and warmth as Harry fries some vegetables on a wok pan. Four pairs of eyes are watching him in awe. Niall is keeping an eye on the meat, Liam is keeping an eye on the kettle and Zayn’s keeping an eye on Liam. Louis follows Harry’s every move and claps excitedly as he sets the green on fire. 

“Yes, you glaze them!” he shouts, “You glaze them good!” Harry laughs at Louis and waves him closer.

“You want to stir them?” he asks and as Louis nods excitedly everyone else turns around in horror.

“No!”

“Didn’t you learn anything from Louis’ story?”

“I don’t want to die like this!”

Harry laughs their joking off and turns to Louis. “Oh come on, he’s just going to stir them. It doesn’t require any cooking skills.” He shoots Louis a smile that Louis returns with bright eyes, accepts the spatula and grabs the handle.

Every vegetable turns black.

Louis lets go of the pan, though it’s too late, Zayn snickers a bit with Niall as Liam take cover just in case. But Harry, Harry just stares from the pan in shock. He opens his mouth to say something but then closes it again as no sound comes out. He tries again.

“Well that’s a talent on its own”, he tries and Niall and Zayn finally burst into full on laughter, Liam returning to his kettle watching with an amused smile. Louis and Harry tear their stare from the charred vegetables at the same time to look at each other.

“Oops?” Louis offers. Harry gets over his initial shock and feels a smile creeping in. “I’m really sorry Harry, seriously you saw all that trouble and”, Louis mumbles with his face falling. Harry chuckles softly and pull Louis into an embrace because Louis looks like he need one and cause that’s the safest way to get Louis further away from the stove. 

“It’s okay love”, he tells him and sways Louis in his arms a bit. He gets a meaningful smirk from all three boys looking at them so he coughs and lets Louis go. He keeps his hand on the boy’s shoulders though, not letting him get too far. Or too close to the food.

“No it’s not okay, they’re all ruined”, Louis sulks.

“Well it’ll only take a while to make some more and I got the ingredients”, he takes a small brake to wiggle his eyebrows and give a foolish smirk, “and the skills.” All the boys sigh at his words but Louis’ sigh is mixed with giggles so it was worth it.

 

~

 

“Oh my god this is delicious!” Niall claims while stuffing his mouth to a full. Zayn and Liam are seem to be also enjoying themselves. They’re wearing fond smiles as they feed each other.

The food really is delicious. The meat melts in Louis mouth and the vegetable patch #2 just makes you want to eat and eat until you explode. Yes, this is how Louis wants to die. He inhales the food’s smell and turns to look at Harry who’s currently eating, tongue sliding first to taste the vegetables and only then putting it in his mouth. Okay maybe let’s not die just yet, Louis hums to himself.

“Where did you learn to cook like this?” he asks instead and everyone turns to Harry for story time.

“Well I just always liked to cook, you know making things”, he says like it was nothing. “I helped my parents in the kitchen ever since it was safe for me to roam around the kitchen without the risk of dying or something”, at this point everyone gives a small look in Louis’ direction.

“What?” Louis asks and crosses his arms and pouts. Harry’s hand comes to rest on Louis’ bicep calmingly as he continues his story about how he accidentally created a new dessert. 

Louis still decides to pout until Liam and Zayn share a smirk and a meaningful look when whipped cream is mentioned. Then he’s just disgusted.

Harry really has this gift of painting pictures with only words. As he tells about the food’s he has made and all the place’s he’s been catering Louis’ mouth starts to water even though he’s stuffed and can barely move anymore. And he kind of wants to visit Senegal.

They have all rolled on to the couch, and when Louis says rolled he means it, and are sprawled out in a mess of limbs. Harry’s last story has ended and it’s so quiet for a while that Louis fears that some of them have already died in their strange position.

“I don’t think I can move ever again”, Zayn huffs from somewhere near Louis’ wrist. He thinks. 

“Is it okay if I just live the rest of my life right here, in this position?” Liam asks with a muffled sound that comes from below.

“Let’s not eat ever again?” Louis tries and Harry just gives a simple grumble of dying near Louis’ ear.

“Come on boys! Out and about!” Niall yells and jumps in front of them, totally unaffected.

“Aarhgmph”, echoes from the sofa and few hands are being waggled to the happy blond.

Finally Niall gives up and sits on the floor watching the mess that is them on the couch. Liam is the first on who shows signs of living and starts to glide onto the floor.

“Don’t leave”, Zayn mumbles his eyes closed and doing grabby hands and Liam pulls Zayn gently down with him. Louis watches as the two boys settle on the floor Zayn looking awfully pale. Louis wonders why. He turns to look at Harry with curious eyes.

“Was there garlic in that dish?” he asks like it’s just an everyday question

“Um, yeah?” Harry looks at Louis with dying eyes but somehow manages to raise an interested grin. 

“You hear that Zayn?” Louis cranes his neck towards the raven haired boy who is just trying to survive, “the dish had garlic in it.”

Zayn doesn’t open his eyes but quirks his eyebrow. “Okay?” he leans in further to Liam’s touch some of the colour already returning. “I love garlic”, he then hums like he doesn’t even know what is happening.

“Hmm”, Louis releases with his breath. Not a vampire then Louis takes a mental note. Interesting, interesting indeed.

“What about vampires?” Harry slurs interestedly next to him. Did he say that out loud?

“Yes”, Harry just says, his voice already closer. 

“I was just reminded of vampires because of the garlic you know”, he says trying to sound casual. Harry nuzzles into the back of Louis’ head.

“Sure”, Harry mumbles into his nape not sounding very convinced. “I think you’re the crazy one after all Lou”, he chuckles.

“Don’t call me Lou”, Louis just answers but yet again Harry doesn’t sound very convinced as he just nuzzles in closer. 

“Can we all sleep over?” Niall shoots from the floor where he’s poking Zayn’s ribs with his toes and Liam’s trying to murder his toes.

“Sure if you don’t mind sleeping badly”, Harry says easily from where he’s cuddling Louis in. My bed can hold two, three at most and this sofa can hold two. And I should have a mattress somewhere?” he asks from himself.

“Can we put Zayn and Liam in different beds?” Louis asks from Harry’s forearm. A hurt huff is heard from the floor that probably is Liam and Zayn.

“We will just sleep guys, c’moon”, Zayn says, already gaining his attitude back.

“I can sleep on the mattress here next to the sofa so they can’t even try”, Niall offers. “And you and Louis can sleep in your bed.” 

Harry looks at the boy in his arms whose breathing peacefully and rubbing his thighs closer to Harry. “Fine by me”, he says smiling.

“But first” Niall shrieks jumping off the floor, “let’s party!”  
From somewhere music starts to play and Niall is doing something that looks like riverdance but isn’t quite the riverdance. One by one they all peel off to stand and start to dance and shout and talk. It’s a nice way to spend your evening. And half of the night.

It’s almost three a.m. when people finally start to collapse. Zayn goes first, literally falling asleep on Liam’s arms, who carries him to bed like he is the most precious flower in the whole world and then glares at them until they put the music away. Liam stays up with them a while longer chatting lowly from next to Zayn but when his boyfriend wraps his arms around his waist in his sleep he gives in and snuggles closer to him.

When Louis yawns Harry also decides it’s time to go to bed, and when he turns to tell Niall that they find him drooling into the pillow on his mattress. They looks at each other chuckling lowly and the Harry leads them to the bedroom.

It’s a very soothing coloured place Louis decides his eyes feeling heavier every minute. The walls are painted in light blue and there’s no bright, eye-piercing, colours to be found. They’re both a bit sleepy so they lean on each other as they waddle closer to the bed.

“You want to change into something more comfortable than jeans?” Harry asks. “Shit I should’ve asked the other guys too.”

Louis smooths his hand flat on Harry’s chest and sooths him. “They’ll be fine love, they can always just take them off if it’s too unbearable.” Harry leaves Louis to his bed and goes to search through his clothes.

“Here”, he throws a pair of pants at the other boy. “You want a shirt too or?” he turns to ask.

“No this is fine”, Louis says already fumbling out of his tight jeans. “Wow they just won’t budge”, he laughs when his jeans are putting on a fight, “think that food of yours really got me to round up.” Harry laughs too and comes to aid his blue-eyed friend with the jeans. As soon as he pulls the jeans give up and Harry finds himself from the floor.

“Like you could be anything but perfect”, he says mostly to Louis’ jeans on his head.

When he gets up from the floor and changes his pants he starts to laugh as soon as he turns. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry”, he tries with a hand in front of his mouth but the bubbly laughter just keeps floating out of him. Louis pouts next to the bed, Harry’s sweats on his legs. The pants are over his ankles and he seems even shorter, and cuter in Harry’s opinion, than before.

“Cute little pigeon hedgehog”, Harry coos as soon as he can stop the laughter. A halfhearted glare is being shot to him from Louis’ direction. He then climbs on to the bed and holds the duvet up so that Louis can slide in too.

“Mm, it’s all warm and toasty”, Louis says cuddling to Harry. He swings his leg between Harry’s thighs and they fall asleep like that. Limbs tangled and breathing each other’s in.

 

~

 

Louis’ phone buzzes in his pocket. He fishes it out and looks at the caller ID.

“Zayn?” he can hear Liam mumbling something about getting back to bed through the phone.

“I knew you’d be up this early”, Zayn points out with victory in his voice, “Liam didn’t believe it.”

“Well it certainly is a surprise that you’re alive at this hour”, it’s seven in the morning, “What’s up?”

The line goes quite for a while and Louis just jogs waiting a noise of some sorts. No noise comes though so he pulls the phone down to look if the call had accidentally ended and runs straight to a tree.

“Ow”, he exclaims the same time Liam’s low groan can be heard and he just throws the phone away in disgust. “No, no, no”, he chants scrunching his face. He picks his phone back up and hangs up. He stands there for a while, trying not to throw up, and then sends Zayn a message.

_Not listening to you guys have sex through my phone, thank you very much. Call me when Liam’s no longer inside you or you inside of him or something, meanwhile I’m gonna jog home and, you know, cut off my ear._

Then he does as he wrote and jogs home. His ear gets to stay, though he does wash it a few times just for show.

He’s just changed his running clothes into something more comfortable when his phone buzzes again. He picks it up and sighs as a hello.

“Um”, he hears Zayn say with his voice a low rasp, “we might have gotten a bit distracted.” His voice is apologetic and not apologetic at the same time.

“Yeah whatever”, Louis laughs, “please save me from the details, I’m already shaking and it’s not because of the cold.” Zayn’s laugh is almost proud, which concerns Louis. “So why did you call in the first place?”

“Well now that you and Harry are finally together”, there’s a sound, which Louis is pretty sure is Zayn and Liam highfiving. Zayn opens his mouth to continue but Louis stops him.

“We’re not together, where did you get that?” he laughs a bit awkwardly. 

“What? You’re not together?”

“Um, no?”

“But you were so…”

“No.”

“And the stares were…”

“No.”

There’s a sigh, then some whispering and the some kind of evil laughter from the other end before Zayn is speaking to him again. “Oh well, it’s a shame but what can I do?” a rhetorical question, “I actually called to invite you over, Niall’s coming too. Just the three of us, we have some plans.”

“Oh, okay”, Louis says suspiciously cause Zayn gave up so easily. “Sure, yeah, I’ll be there.”

 

~

 

Niall’s already at Zayn’s when Louis arrives and Liam is nowhere to be seen. They all move from the living room into Zayn’s room after Niall has robbed the fridge. Niall and Zayn both sit on his bed and wave for Louis to take the armchair. 

“What? What’s going on?” he tries to ask with a calm voice but fails. “Did someone die?” 

Zayn and Niall exchange a look and then the shouting starts.

“You and Harry are not together?!”

“What is wrong with you two?!”

“Have you seen those curls?! I’d fuck him Louis. And I’m straight!”

“Hey don’t speak of him like that” Louis interrupts even though he knows it was a compliment. Of some sorts. “Why are you two so obsessed for us to be together?” he’s pretty sure he needs to get those two in therapy or something.

“Cause we’re shipping you!” they both say with a bored shout like it was obvious. 

“You, what?” Louis cries out. Yup, definitely therapy.

“Oh, c’moon everyone’s shipping you two.”

“What? Why?” This is getting weird, “This is getting weird.”

“Dude seriously have you seen how you act around each other? You’re all cute and cuddly and shit”, Zayn says with annoyance and shock in his voice.

“No, Zayn, I haven’t got the slightest idea of what you’re talking about”, Zayn’s voice is right, this is getting annoying.

“Okay I’m gonna have to film you two and show it to you”, Zayn says like it was an everyday thing.

“Please don’t film us”, Louis says given up, and a bit scared.

”Okay I’ll just delete the ones I already have.”

Louis gives Zayn a shocked look.

“Ha ha, I’m just joking”, Zayn laughs awkwardly while swatting Niall to put the video camera away. Louis shoots them a glare.  
No one glare isn’t enough. Louis shoots them another glare.

Awkward silence falls upon them for a moment, all of them shifting in their seats. 

“So”, Niall drawls through the silence, “it’s, it’s a nice weather out there”, he tries smiling desperately. Louis sighs and gives up.

“Fine what was it you wanted to talk about?”

Zayn’s and Niall’s faces lit up and they practically jump off the bed for a second. “Okay so, school starts in a few week, right?” Louis nods to Zayn showing him that he understood that school, in fact, does start in a few weeks. “Well we haven’t really done anything together so on Monday”, it’s Friday now, “we are all going camping!”

Louis looks at his friends for a beat. That is actually a good idea.

“We can put on a fire and go swimming, and tell ghost stories–“

“And eat a lot”, Niall cuts in. Louis chuckles a bit. “That’s why we were out and about that one day with out you. We were buying camping stuff, Liam, Zayn and I.” Oh well that’s one mystery less.

“Is Liam and Harry coming too then?” Louis asks smiling. “All five of us having a proper camp out, that should be amazing!”

“Yeah, they’re coming too”, Niall assures and slides to the floor. “It’s going to be epic!”

“I’m in”, Louis announces with excitement growing in his stomach. 

 

~

 

Zayn throws Louis’ bag into the car while Niall and Louis read out loud a list of thing they should have with them. 

“That should be all”, Niall finally says.

Louis drags his stare through the street trying to find familiar curls popping up. “Where’s Lima and Harry?” he then asks as Niall throws the last item in the car. Niall turns to look at Zayn with a stern look. “What?”

“Um”, Zayn starts with guilt in his voice, “Liam and I aren’t coming. We sort of thought of having a nice night in just the two of us. Liam’s just dropping of Harry and then he comes here.”

“What?” Louis asks again trying to meet Zayn’s eyes that keep darting away. It was supposed to be their night out in the nature. Holiday stuff and all that. “Well, I guess. We just have to manage without you”, he says with a frown. Niall’s already in the driver’s seat waving him in.

“I’m sorry Lou, hope you understand”, Zayn tries sadly.

Louis’ frown doesn’t falter but yeah, he understands. Kind of. “Yeah it’s okay Zayn don’t worry about it. You would just sleep while we do all the work to be honest”, he lets out a small trying laugh. Zayn chuckles a bit too.

So then Louis climbs into the car with Niall leaving Zayn behind. Louis so excited about the trip and invested in the conversation with Niall that he misses how Zayn’s frown turns into an evil, mischievous grin as they drive away.

 

Niall pulls the car into a halt after a long drive and they get out. It’s a green forest where they camp out with a lake right next to it. Louis can hear the birds chirping as he walks in the grass to the back of the car. He inhales the fresh air and let’s his eyes rest on the trees and plants and it’s just beautiful. Bloody beautiful. 

“Why haven’t we done this before?” he asks from Niall while taking their bags off the car. Niall just shoots him a small smile. Louis looks at all the things they have with them and starts to wonder. “Niall now that I look closer”, he starts worry already filling his stomach, “where’s your bag?”

“Here”, Niall averts the question and shoves a box with a bow on top into Louis’ arms, “don’t open it until the bell rings”, he says pointing at the timer on the box.

“Is it…a bomb?” Louis asks half-jokingly but his laughter dies in his throat cause of Niall’s serious face. “Niall”, he clears his throat, “is it a bomb?”

With that Niall bursts into laughter hand holding his stomach. “You should’ve seen your face Lou”, he gets through the laughter trying to calm himself down. “No, it’s not a bomb silly.” Louis tries to force a laugh but it just dies in his lungs. When did he get surrounded with friends like this? “But seriously don’t open it before it rings, trust me”, Niall says after he’s done with laughing, “and could you get that bag from there?”

“Sure, the green one in the back right?” Louis asks while reaching for the bag. He grabs it and rises to give it to Niall but the blond is nowhere to be seen. “Niall?” Louis calls out and shuts the trunk, the green one being the last bag. 

“I’m here” he hears Niall shout and as he follows the voice he finds Niall sitting on the driver’s seat inside the car.

“W-what are you doing Niall?” Louis asks confused as Niall starts the engine. “Are you moving the car?”

Niall’s face is a mix-up of the words _I’m sorry_ and _you’re welcome_ when he steps on the gas and shouts: “Have fun with Harry.”

The dust falls down and then Louis is standing alone with bags and the box still in his hands. Realization finally kicks in and he curses his friends for ever daring to be born. “Fuck. Fuck!” he just chants trying to gather all the bags with his two hands.

“Lou?” someone calls from the woods.

“Fuck.”

The someone’s steps are getting closer and soon enough Harry’s curly-haired head pop up behind a tree. “Um”, Harry says at the sight, “where’s everyone else?” Harry’s eyes already look greener and his mouth fuller as he walks closer to help Louis with the bags.

“Don’t call me Lou”, is all Louis can get out of his mouth. Harry’s hand accidentally touches Louis’ when he takes the green bag from him, sending shivers down Louis’ spine.  
Fuck, this could be bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alone in the woods, eh? Relax Louis what could possibly happen?


	7. One with the nature

So.

Just him and Harry.

Middle of the forest.

Just the two of them.

So.

Louis shakes his head cause nothing else seems to work to get his thoughts muted. They’ve hanged out, just the two of them, and it had been fun. It’s always fun and easy and, well natural one might say. So he doesn’t get why he’s freaking out. Harry’s calm. 

Right?

He turns to look at Harry who’s currently changing colours from shockingly pale to blushed red. Maybe it’s the fresh air, Louis reasons. 

It must be the fresh air.

“It’s starting to get dark maybe we should start putting our camp together?” Harry suggests after deciding to wear the blushed red. It covers his cheeks beautifully.

Louis turns to look up to the sky seeing nothing but light and blue skies. The sun won’t be setting in ages but you know, making a camp does take time. “Yeah, let’s start with the tent.”

They don’t even talk about sleeping in different tents, not that Louis would even want to, but it seems that their friends took care of it just in case by backing only one tent. He really needs to start paying more attention to packing after this. I mean the fact that there was only his stuff and food in the car should’ve tipped him off. He knew that nap he took trying to avoid working as the others packed and loaded the car would turn against him. Karma is a bitch.

Harry gracefully tries to get the tent to work while Louis swats the air with the sticks so it looks like he’s doing something. “Hold that would you?” Harry asks friendly not even glaring Louis for letting him do all the work. 

Louis holds the piece that Harry asked him to hold, just standing still. Yes, standing still is what he can do. 

Harry pulls from a few strings and realizes they threw the hammer inside the tent so he crawls inside to get it. Louis watches him crawling, definitely not watching Harry’s perky little bum swaying as he reaches for the wooden hammer. Louis arm is starting to get tired from holding the piece.

It slips from him even before he realizes he can’t no longer hold it and the whole tent comes crashing down capturing poor Harry inside it. The curly one yelps as the fabric walls collapse onto him. “Louis!”

“I’m so sorry, I’m so so sorry”, Louis repeats, half in shock, as he tries to fish his friend from the murderous tent. “I didn’t know the piece was so important! I’m so sorry Harry are you okay?”

As soon as Harry is saved from the endless piles of camping gear he sends a small glare towards Louis but it melts into amusement soon enough. Louis is trying to look as sorry and as innocent as he can at the same time. He pulls the blue puppy eyes. “It slipped.”

Harry can’t help but to smile and chuckle as Louis helps him up. “It’s okay Louis, really”, he says with a serious, assuring voice, “no one got hurt.”

They try again but this time as Harry resets their tent Louis swats his hands in the air, pretending to do something but isn’t allowed to touch anything.

It doesn’t take long before the tent finally stands in all its glory and Harry looks at it proudly and Louis looks at Harry proudly. Though he does avert his eyes as soon as Harry turns to look at him and they both stand silence for a while, only the sound of butterflies flying around. Whether the butterflies are in their stomachs or in the actual forest, neither of them can really tell.

 

~

 

The rest of the camp side constructing goes well as it’s just more of putting bags in places and unpacking stuff. When all that’s done the evening is already starting to dim and the air is cooling down. They need a fire.

They share a horrified look after they realize this because Harry is afraid that Louis will burn the forest down, and Louis is afraid that he’ll burn the forest down.

They gather up dry wood around the forest and start to pile it up. There’s an official place to make a fire at their campsite so they’re not doing anything illegal, or dangerous. Well okay maybe a bit dangerous Louis admits as he pockets the matches Harry gives him. 

Harry is laying the wood down perfectly as if he’s calculating the spaces between them to be symmetrical. Louis rises from his seat holding a piece of firewood in his hand. “Forget what the taught you in scouts Styles. We’re doing it Tommo way”, he announces as he drops down the piece of wood into the fire pit, causing the whole thing falling into a mess. Harry looks down at it, eyes round and mouth agape. Louis takes a careful step back, also terrified. “I think we’ll just burn it like that now.”

It takes a minute for Harry to recover and the he waves to Louis to get the matches out. The match lits, the woods lit, no one dies. That’s pretty good Louis wonders by himself and sits down next to Harry to enjoy the warmth. 

Harry drapes his hand around Louis’ shoulders and this time the warmth comes from within.

 

~ 

 

Louis’ head starts to sway and his eyes are starting to shut but he tries to stay awake. It’s so comfortable and warm and he doesn’t want to move.

“Louis you’ll fall asleep like that soon”, Harry warns with a soft voice and it ends with a yawn. “We should probably go inside.”

Louis whines as a protest put when he almost falls from the log he’s sitting on he’s ready to give in. “Okay, let’s put out the fire.”

They put out the fire and start crawling inside the tent. It’s cold inside and a few bugs have found their way inside. Louis ducks his head as a kamikaze mosquito tries to storm on his face. Harry squishes it between his hands with one try and then swats a few other bugs out of the tent.

Louis squirms inside his sleeping bag Harry following the lead and then they lay quiet for a while. Harry’s breathing behind him is calming and Louis starts to sway on the edge of dream and reality again. 

“How many days are we supposed to be here again?” Harry asks as they jointly wrap Harry’s arm around Louis. It’s more comfortable that way, okay?

“Four days”, Louis yawns. “Well three days after this. They’ll pick us up on Thursday.”  
Or at least Louis hopes they will. He doesn’t know if his psychopath shipper friends are going to leave them here for an eternity. 

Louis is just about to fall asleep when Harry shifts behind him, coming closer. “What are you doing?” he says flinching.

“Trying to find a comfortable position?” Harry says confused his arm loosening around Louis. “Louis are you okay?”

Louis takes a deep breath and calms down. “Yeah sorry, I was just about to fall asleep and the movement startled me.” Harry hums behind him understandingly but there’s doubt in the sound.

“Goodnight Louis”, a soft voice says.

“Goodnight”, Louis answers and tries to get his heartrate down. What is wrong with him? Why is he being so jumpy?

He takes another deep breath and closes his eyes. Okay he’s been putting this off for too long now. It’s time to think.

Okay so Louis is attracted to Harry, he’s not stupid, he knows that. He also enjoys spending time with Harry, whether it’s with the others or just the two of them. But there’s something more and he knows it. He tries to deny and suffocate it, but he knows it. Everytime Harry puts his arm around him a wave of warmth covers him. And not just a lusty, fuck me to the mattress warmth, but a fond kind of warmth.

He likes to sit next to Harry just so he can be close to him. He likes how he smiles and how his eyes lit up when he tells his stories, the armadillo one is Louis’ favourite, and how his face curls up in a laugh. And the boy has dimples. Fucking dimples! He’s not even gonna mention the legs.

And it’s not only that Harry’s sexy and hot but he makes Louis happy. He makes Louis want to curl up next to him in blankets and watch a fucking documentary of koalas and just stay there.

But what if Harry doesn’t feel the same? Or even worse, what if something happens between them and they’re both so happy together and everything is perfect for a while but then they’re just too different and everything comes crashing down and then he’ll lose Harry. He’d lose him as a friend as well. He’d never see him again and if he would it would be awkward and horrible.

All that has been in Louis’ head put he has been pushing them down and right now he feels sick to his stomach. He feels lightheaded and he opens his eyes just to see the world spinning in front of him. He closes his eyes shut and tries to remember how to breathe.

It’s all too fucking much and he feels like crying.

And now they’re alone in a fucking forest for four days and Louis just wants to kiss Harry every second he sees him and even when he doesn’t see him. 

And he knows Harry feels something too, something at least. And just as much he wants something to happen he also wants that nothing happens and they’ll just be good friends forever. Okay Louis can survive four days. He has to survive four days.

At that moment Harry’s arm around him tightens and Louis automatically goes pliant and leans to the touch warmth filling his whole body.

Louis is so screwed.

~

 

When Harry wakes up in the morning the air is thin. This and sharp as it cuts its way through his nostrils to his lungs leaving the feeling of cold pain behind. The air hangs above his head and it’s cold, almost moist. 

He breathes again and the cold leaves his nose soar but the air is so fresh and pure that it’s worth it.

He catches another smell and leans in closer to smell it, only to be stopped with a pile of hear in his mouth and a whiff of lemon. 

He opens his eyes recognizing the sent and ends up staring into sleeping Louis’ back of the head. He grins at the sight remembering they have three more days together here out in the woods. 

Louis turns so Harry can see his face and he’s so adorable that Harry has to stop himself from tugging the boy in his arms any tighter. Louis huffs small breathes and his fringe is all messy and reaching over his forehead towards his eyes. His long eyelashes are painted on the soft skin under his eyes and he just looks so peaceful. He just looks so beautiful.

Harry tears his eyes off of Louis, realizing how creepy he’s being, and notices that he’s been holding his breath. He starts to crawl out of his sleeping bag inhaling another cold, cutting breath and goes through his bag. He pulls on warm blue sweats and a big, fluffy hoodie and steps out of the tent with boots on.

The sun is peeking through the trees as if asking permission and Harry waves for it to rise bravely. It’s going to be a beautiful day.

 

~

 

When Louis opens his eyes he meets white light that’s reflecting from the fabric of the tent. It plummets into his eyes making everything shatter and he closes his eyes, wincing with pain. The throbbing feeling radiates from his eyes to his skull and everything goes black for a while.

Like needles and pins.

Finally the aching stops and Louis sits up and sees that Harry is gone. Good, more room to stretch Louis thinks and spread around the tent stretching with a yawn. He twists his leg wrongly and gets a cramp.

“Fuck!” he grumbles as he presses his hand on the dying spot of his leg and tries to make it stop. Breathe, Louis, breathe.

He waits a minute after the pain stops, just to be sure, and then puts on his dark red sweater and some pants. Mm it’s so cold and fresh and warm and cozy at the same time. He likes it.

Louis ducks out of the tent and there’s Harry, sitting on the log in front of a fire, making something. “Morning”, Louis murmurs with his sleepy voice.

Harry lifts his head to look at the voice, a warm smile spreading across his face. “Morning” he says with bright eyes. God his eyes are so pretty.

Louis shuffles closer to the fire and Harry scoots over even though there’s plenty of room on the log. He sits right next to Harry, letting his head fall to rest on his shoulders cause Louis is still a bit sleepy.

Harry’s curls tickle the side of his face making Louis giggle a bit when Harry turns his head to look at him.

“Are you even awake Louis?” he asks with a soft grin.

“No”, Louis says proudly with a giggle and fights to keep his eyes open. He can feel the fresh air surrounding him and swinging him awake so he just stares at the fire and breathes.

“I’m making us some coffee so that should help”, Harry says pointing at a kettle in the fire. “I also made us sandwiches.”

Louis turns his head to see that, yes, there really are sandwiches on a plate on a stump. They look good. “Someone’s been busy”, Louis mocks from Harry’s shoulder but his tone is warm. “Proper cook you are.”

“I hope so, otherwise I chose a wrong career.”

Louis chuckles and then they just sit there for a while. It’s silent between them and they can hear the forest coming alive around them. The way the wind circles around the trees, making them cry out and reach after it with their leafy branches. The way birds call to each other, songs echoing from the lake’s watery mirror, reflecting their stories back to be retold. 

It’s just so calm and quiet. It’s quiet without silence and both of the boys just breathe in, breathe out, filling themselves with everything that surrounds them. With the sounds, with the smells, with each other’s warmth.

With memories.

The kettle pipes in and they snap back.

“I love the nature” Harry states and Louis can’t help but to agree as he watches Harry pour some coffee for the both of them, his eyes matching the view behind him.

 

~

 

“Hurry up Harry!” Louis shouts while adjusting his swimwear’s waistband, “The water will freeze over before you get here!”

“Funny Louis”, is heard from inside the tent and the sound of someone falling follows it. “You’re funny!”

“Oh c’moon”, Louis laughs, “it can’t take that long to change into a pair of swimming trunks. What is it that you’re putting on? A roped two piece?”  
He laughs at the image.

“It happens to be a pair of lovely yellow swim trunks”, Harry announces proudly, “but I think I’m kind of stuck in my bag.”

Yellow? Louis thinks his mouth curling up into a grin. “Yellow?” he laughs but his breath gets caught and dies as Harry finally steps out of the tent.

Holy fuck.

Yellow isn’t supposed to look good on anyone. Anyone.

Yet somehow Louis can’t move a muscle as he just stares at Harry in his swimwear.

“Are you okay Louis?” Harry asks as Louis just keeps staring at his groin. “Are you, are you drooling?”

Louis snaps awake from his trance and looks up to Harry’s face. “What? Yes? No! Um.”

Harry just laughs at him and starts to move. Those legs will be the death of Louis, he swears to god.

“Hurry up Louis”, Harry smirks and swats him with a towel as he walks right past him. “The water will freeze over before you get there.”

 

The water might have just done that, Louis thinks as he steps into the water and loses the feeling of his toes immediately. Cold runs through his whole body and he shivers dramatically. “I’m sorry are we in North Pole?” he asks and refuses to move further. 

Then Harry finally surfaces, having dived in immediately, with his toned body and yellow shorts and suddenly Louis is very willing to go further, warmth returning to his body. 

“It’s a masterpiece”, Harry says looking around the lake and the trees.

“Yes you are” Louis mumbles completely zoned out.

“What?”

“What?” Louis raises his eyebrows with wide eyes and when Harry doesn’t break the eye contact he just sinks into the water.

He swims underwater towards a deeper part of the lake before surfacing. Harry is now behind him and he has to turn to see him again. The boy is floating on his back with his eyes closed and Louis smirks mischievously.

He swims silently closer and dives right next to Harry. He waits a beat and then like a lighting he captures Harry’s frame from the water and pulls him with him.

A yelp can be heard before the water muffles it and Louis only lets it last for a second before helping the flailing mess of limbs back up.

A deep breath is taken immediately and then his victim is couching and pushing the hair out of his face. “What the fuck Louis!” Harry shouts, clearly annoyed and holding his heart. “You can’t do that. That was dangerous!”

“No it wasn’t”, Louis shrugs and grins.

“I could’ve died!” Harry insists, still in shock and with water in his nose.

Louis thinks for a while. “Well”, he wonders and lands a hand on Harry’s shoulder to calm him down, “I’ve always wanted a ghost friend.”

“You’re an asshole” Harry shakes his head but doesn’t shrug Louis’ hand away.

“I know!” Louis announces and smiles a cute smile, “But I’m adorable.”

Harry rolls his eyes but his smile tells him that he agrees. He pulls his hand through his curls one more time and gives Louis a look. “Don’t do that again.”

“Anything for you”, Louis grins and slides back into the water. 

Harry watches as he disappears under the small waves and squints his eyes. His lungs are burning from the lake water and his nose is aching but yet he can’t kill the smile that plays on his lips. That boy is squirming under his skin and heading for his heart. But he doesn’t mind.

Louis surfaces blue eyes peeking from the water, matching the lake and the sky above.

He doesn’t mind at all.

 

~

 

“Scooch”, Louis squirms down with his sleeping bag trying to adjust himself cause he wants to sleep. 

Cause he’s sleepy. 

Harry shimmies to the right making more room for Louis and lets his head fall down to his pillow. The roof of the tent is orange and the falling sunlight makes it even more orange. The light plays on the walls as it fades, the sun slowly dropping outside.

He turns to look at Louis and his breath hitches as he notices that the boy is already looking at him. He has a warm smile on his lips, you know the sleepy, dreamy kind, and the sunlight is painting the details on his face softer.

They stare at each other in silence for a while, both on the verge of falling asleep, and the wind is singing them a lullaby. Louis shifts a little and moves closer.

“You know what Harry”, he hums sleepily and closes his eyes, “I don’t know how long I can just be friends”, and then Louis falls asleep.

The last words were quiet and mumbled, as he was thinking to himself, but to Harry every word was clear as the clearest sky. He stares at Louis’ sleeping, relaxed face and he looks so angelic and Harry’s head is so dizzy that he’s not sure if he had dreamt it or not.

 

~

 

Harry wakes up in the morning with something pressing on his chest. Not a metaphor, something is literally pressed to his chest.

And that someone is Louis.

He opens his eyes and grunts a breath as Louis’ shoulder is trying to suffocate him. The boy is splayed on top of him, having moved there while they were asleep. Their legs are all fumbled together and Louis is hugging him tight, like afraid to let go.

Harry coughs for air and that gets Louis blinking awake. 

“W-what?” he asks sleepily and raises his head form Harry’s chest. His hair looks so soft and it’s even curled a little, his eyes still half asleep and warm. Harry can’t breathe but this time it’s for another reason.

Louis slides down slowly as he realizes that he’s been trying to kill his friend with his shoulder and curls up in his sleeping bag. “It’s cold again”, he whines and curls up closer to himself, “how can it be cold if the sun is shining?”

“It’s possible. And it’s still morning so”, Harry reasons and looks at the pouting boy next to him.

“No”, Louis huffs and presses against Harry to steal some warmth, “if the sun is out it can’t be cold. It’s a rule.”

Harry chuckles and lets Louis to cuddle with him for a while before sitting up and starting to peal from his sleeping bag. The movement gets a small whine out of Louis who is already falling asleep again and Harry can’t help but to feel warm.

He ducks out of the tent and breathes in the air that kindly helps him to wake up. Birds sing their welcomes and the view has never looked greener.  
It’s going to be a beautiful day.

 

~

 

Harry walks around the woods, picking up sticks and stuff for their morning fire. The grass and moss are soft underneath his steps as he roams around. The air is bright and silent, part from the birds and the wind.

He really likes the nature, it’s always been close to his heart but he doesn’t get out of the town as often as he should. He wonders why.

A squirrel peeks from the leaves and tilts its head to Harry. The fluffy tailed animal is glued to a pine by its nails, eyes curious.

Wait can squirrels eyes be curious? 

Harry ponders this as he avoids staring right back at the squirrel. He doesn’t want to leave this forest with a squirrel’s teeth in his hand. Or anything else.

“Hello little guy”, he coos and steps a little closer, “You’re a curious one, aren’t you?”

As the squirrel just turns away and starts to climb the tree again, without even acknowledging Harry or his words, Harry comes to the conclusion that he has been out in the nature for too long and he has gone crazy.

“Hello my little crazy forest man”, he hears from behind him, the sentence holding a laugh. He turns to meet Louis’ amused eyes and can’t help the blush that rises to his face.

He hadn’t even heard Louis coming. Harry lowers his eyes to the ground beneath them his heart pounding. Louis had said __my __. He toes the soft green that had buried Louis’ steps.

Damn moss.

“Hi”, he says embarrassed and Louis face doesn’t lose its smirk. “You’re up again I see.”

“That I am squirrel whisperer.”

Harry rolls his eyes and groans. “Oh c’moon don’t say you haven’t talked to an animal.” He pouts with his bottom lip out, crossing his arms, and tries to gain some pity from the other boy.

“Well, me and birds do have this special connection”, Louis mocks his smirk growing stronger. He shuffles closer to Harry to uncross his arms and ties them around him instead.

Harry can’t stop the way his pout falters a bit. 

“Do you now?” he questions suspiciously, tightening his arms around the boy.

“Yeah, cross my heart”, Louis says with a serious face and crosses his heart. “We tweet all the time, I swear.”

Harry images Louis tweeting to birds from his open window early in the morning and is about to say something when Louis pokes him to the ribs.

“We call it Twitter”, he says, the smirk returning to his face and Harry’s pout turns into unimpressed eyes as he shoves Louis away.

“That’s such a bad joke”, he whines, body already missing Louis’ heat.

“I know”, Louis just laughs and starts to poke at Harry’s ribs again. “Bet you imagined me chirping from my open window to the birds with a headband”, he cackles out.

“No I didn’t”, Harry defends as he jerks away from Louis’ fingers. 

He was wearing a tiara.

 

~

 

“Over here king of the forest!” Louis yells from afar. The snicker can be heard and the worst part is, it echoes through the cliffs.

“Oh my god let it go already”, Harry pleads with desperation, “I talked to a squirrel, I’m crazy, and legs are as useful as noodles out here.”

Louis’ snicker is now closer and the boy appears like a lighting from Harry’s left and pecks his cheek loudly, disappearing just as fast.

Harry stops with horror, his eyes wide and his legs actually turning into noodles. He tries to waddle a step but ends up hovering backwards.

Louis peaks from behind a tree, his eyes wearing the cutest, amused smile. His insides turn warmer that they should when he sees Harry, completely red and unable to move.

They had abandoned breakfast in front of the fire and instead Louis had ran back to the camp to get them some bread and they had wondered into the wilderness.

Well, not much of a wilderness, more like a mild walk including trees but the view is beautiful nonetheless. 

They found some rocks and cliffs, not far away and Louis got the idea of running around the trees and rocks to hide from Harry. It was amusing he must admit.

He usually just poked him in the ribs or slapped his ass as he lunged from where he was hiding but that last thing.

He wasn’t sure.

They had had small banter the whole walk through, sharing smiles and giggles and as Louis had ran towards Harry, seeing the line of his face. He couldn’t help it. He just kissed his cheek and ran away.

But the way Harry reacted to it. Holy fuck, Louis finds trouble breathing as he watches the green in Harry’s eyes turn empty and filled with emotions at the same time. The way Harry’s mouth is left agape, like he’s just as breathless as Louis.

Harry fumbles a bit more before balancing on the ground and locking his eyes with Louis. Louis walks from behind the tree and starts taking steps towards Harry. “Um”, Harry slurs, still looking a little out of it.

“Yeah”, Louis tries but everything gets stuck in his throat.

They both lean in a little closer eyes still locked. Louis’s not sure whether his heart is beating faster or slower as Harry’s green eyes just stare. 

Stare and stare and stare.

Endless green surrounds Louis as he breathes in the air and Harry.

“Louis.”

It starts to rain.

 

~

 

Like a cold shower, literally, the rain wakes both of the boys from their stare and they make a face, before sprinting off to find cover.

And it wasn’t a-light-drizzle-against-the-sky kind of rain. No it was a-soak-you-in-seconds kind of rain and they got war flashbacks to the day they had hanged out for the first time, only the two of them.

“I’m sorry? Did a whole lake evaporate and is now being poured right at us?” Louis asks with an attitude towards the sky. Their feet are being swallowed by the soft wet moss and grass as they struggle to head towards the camp or to find some big tree or something.

“There! There!” Harry exclaims and tugs Louis with him, having found a cave.

It’s a small cave, not really a cave at all really but it’s enough for the both of them to get in and be safe from the rain. Or at least most of it.

The rock echoes coldness as they settle there, having to stand glued to each other but for some reason even though Harry’s on the verge of freezing to death, there’s something warm growing inside him.

Well it isn’t for some reason. Harry knows. He knows way too well and it’s time to face it cause he can’t hold it all in, or deny or second guess any longer.

As the rain pours down and Louis shuffles his feet to get more comfortable Harry wonders if he should wait until tomorrow or when they’re back home cause it’s only a day left really and he doesn’t want any awkwardness.

But then he remembers everything they do and how they act around each other and the words Louis said last night, just before he fell asleep. 

He remembers it all and as he wonders he feels how Louis wraps his arms around his waist. “Um, Harry I don’t really know what to say or how to say it but um.”

“I don’t want to be friends either”, Harry helps but realizes what it sounds like only when Louis’ eyes grow wide and he lets go of him. 

“Oh”, Louis just says the wideness from his eyes shrinking into sadness. Disappointment.

And that’s when Harry knows for sure that it’s not just him.

“No, no that’s not what I meant”, he hurries to say, trying to fit in a laugh but it dies somewhere on the road. “That’s not what I meant at all Louis.”

Louis allows his eyes to rise a little but they’re still blue, like metaphorically blue as well.

“I mean I don’t want to be just friends either and I don’t know what it is that you do to me, and this all feels a little cliché, but it’s easy to be with you and I like having you around and I, I have been wanting to be more than friends for quite some time.” 

The blue in Louis’ eyes is gone. His arms on the other hand are back on Harry’s waist. “Why didn’t you say so then? I, I’ve been feeling the same way and I’m not the most experienced guy with this stuff but this”, he points between them, “this just feels too powerful to ignore. Believe me I tried.”

Harry chuckles a bit but it’s left as a heavy exhale and then dips his head shyly. “Well I wasn’t sure about how you felt and I really liked having you around so”, he stops cause Louis eyes go wide again. “What?”

“You just mouthed my feelings, that’s all.”

“And then there’s the whole thing with the lime.”

Right, Louis hadn’t thought about it for a long time. He tightens his arms around Harry’s waist and smirks a bit. “I think we can make it work”, and then he kisses him.

Their breaths melt into one as they press their mouths together and it almost burns as they touch. They had kissed before but this time there was something that got Louis’ socks twist in his shoes and his eyes almost glued together from the sensation.

Harry is so warm where he holds him on the waist and he just sinks closer to the kiss. Harry’s hands move up from his sides and go to the nape of his neck, the other hand just holding him, the other playing with the soft hair there. 

Louis can’t help how he tiptoes to get even closer.

Neither of them break a kiss even though they’re both probably about to suffocate but they don’t care. They have each other. 

Louis is about to huff a breath but then Harry’s tongue darts into his mouth and all he can taste is Harry and all he can see behind his eyelids are green, and curls and dimples. He’s never felt more alive, Harry surrounding him from everywhere. And he’s never felt safer.

They just stand there, holding each other close and kissing like it’s the only thing they know how to do anymore, which isn’t far from the truth, and as the world around them continues their own time is slowing with the sensation. They don’t let go, they don’t want to let go, they won’t let go.

Neither of them remembers the cold rain anymore.

 

~

 

They eventually do let go because they need to breathe no matter how unnecessary it seemed at the moment and for another reason.

They wanted to go back to the tent.

I mean yeah they haven’t dated for like, well they haven’t dated at all but they know each other well, they like each other and most importantly, they trust each other. And neither of them wanted to wait any longer.

And that’s how they ended up inside the tent kicking their shoes and socks off.

“I’m still bloody wet”, Harry complains as he peels the last sock away. Louis turns to smirk at him.

“Yeah you are”, eyebrows wiggle.

Louis gets the wet sock on his face and they both laugh. “Stop that, creepy old man”, Harry pouts and captures the wiggling creepy old man.

“Oi!” Louis warns laughingly and falls straight on Harry. He relaxes there and turns his head weirdly to kiss Harry again. 

Harry accepts the kiss with pleasure, closing his eyes.

It’s a funny thing that when Harry looks into Louis face and the closes his eyes, Louis is still right there. He can see him without looking.

Harry kisses deeper and rolls them so that he’s on top of Louis. Louis’ lips are so soft and warm and Harry lets himself fall into the feeling that is the boy underneath him. He releases Louis’ lips with a smack and shifts to his neck, kissing there.

“So, um”, Louis mumbles, letting his hands roam in Harry’s hair, “how are we gonna do this?”

Harry lifts his head from Louis’ neck and looks into his eyes. Fuck they’re so blue, and dark and fuck. He wonders if you can come into your pants just by looking at someone. “Is there something on your mind?” he asks and lowers his lips just enough to peck Louis’ jawline never breaking the eye contact.

“Well, um like I said I haven’t done this before and like you said you have, quite a lot actually, and I just”, Louis falls silent to think how to continue.

“You don’t want to do this now?” Harry asks and when Louis’ eyes shoot up he feels the need to let him know it’s okay. “Cause we don’t have to. We can wait until we’re home or wait even more if you want to.”

“No but I want to and now I feel like we’re in some kind of weird porn movie and I’m the virgin princess or something.”

Harry laughs and that lifts his worries a little. “You sure cause I don’t want you to do this just because you think I want to or because you feel like you have to.”

Louis shoves him a bit. “Yeah I’m sure you idiot. I want your dick inside of me, like, right now.”

“I just want to make sure you’re comfortable with all this”, Harry slurs and strokes his hand up and down on Louis’ bicep, “and with me.”

“I know and I love it but”, Louis says and like lighting turns both of them around so that he’s on top and shoves his tongue inside Harry’s mouth, “I meant it when I said right now.”

Harry groans with that and sucks on Louis’ tongue as Louis bites his bottom lip. He tries to lift up to grind against Louis, his body itching for some fraction, but Louis pushes him back down.

Harry whines and tries again but fails. Louis smirks down at him with dark eyes and lowers to suck on his neck. Harry whimpers, sounding almost pathetic, as he feels the other boy’s teeth scraping against his skin. He swears Louis’ hand is hovering just over his groin on purpose.

“Tease”, he barks but it turns into a broken groan as Louis’ teeth find another home near his collarbone. “I thought you said right now.”

“Well we do have the whole day”, Louis grins but lifts Harry’s shirt an inch with his hand.

“Well technically it’s afternoon.”

“Do you want to get laid?”

“Yes please.”

Louis strokes the bulge in Harry’s pants once and sees how the other boy stills completely, eyes growing darker only his muscles shivering. And fuck can Louis feel the muscles. 

His hand is pressed directly onto Harry’s lower abs and he’s so toned yet not too much. And Louis can feel how they ripple underneath his hand whenever he touches him no matter where or for how long. He can feel how much of an affect he has on Harry and that’s fucking hot.

Harry’s fucking hot.

Out of nowhere Harry’s hand shoots to grab Louis from his groin and he jerks backwards. The warmth and the pressure from Harry’s hand flies right through his spine, spreading everywhere. Louis grinds against Harry’s hand a couple times before the curly headed devil removes it, leaving Louis feeling empty.

“Shirts. Off. Now”, is all he can think of and turn into words and starts to lift Harry’s shirt higher.

Harry lifts his arms and helps Louis to get rid of the shirt. “Better?”

Louis rests his eyes on Harry’s milky skin that seems to be everywhere now that the shirt is gone. The boy is perfect from the bottom to the top and that perfect boy is laying right underneath him. “Better”, Louis says and is not quite sure where he found the air to complete the word.

Louis moves to remove his own shirt next and does it painfully slowly. I mean at least that’s what Harry thinks. The way Louis sways his hips against Harry’s hard on as he throws the shirt somewhere back of the tent makes him sure that the boy was a stripper or something in his former life.

Or in his current life, he doesn’t know. Tommo the Tease or something.

As Louis bites his own bottom lip and lowers his hands through his stomach to the waistband of his pants Harry can’t take it anymore. He grabs Louis from the waist and flips them over again.

He dips to kiss Louis and lets his hand travel around Louis’ body before settling on his bulge. Louis groans into his mouth and when Harry feels how hard he is he can feel how his own pants are getting a tad tight.

“Pants off?” he asks and as Louis can’t get another sound that a drawled moan and a hasty nod Harry starts to remove the pants.

It’s a bit of a fumble to get both of their pants and underpants off as they both try to strip each other at the same time, already impatient. 

Harry allows his eyes to travel down to take a good looks as he sees that Louis does the same. “Nice cock.”

“You too.”

And again the spirit in the tent is lifted. Louis trusts Harry and wants this, oh god he wants this so bad, but he’s also nervous but he doesn’t know how to say.

Louis’ nervous Harry can feel it. He kisses the boy to comfort him and to help him to relax. “We can still stop at any time, you just need to say”, he slurs into Louis’ mouth sucking on his bottom lip.

Louis pushes his tongue into the kiss as an answer and grabs Harry’s ass. Harry thinks he could come at the spot.

“There’s no way we’re stopping now. I’ve never been this turned on”, Louis exhales as they brake the kiss. “Unless you want to?”

“No, no I don’t want to stop”, Harry assures and thumbs over Louis’ nipple, feeling the boy shiver beneath him. He can feel Louis’ hard dick against his thigh and it’s already leaking. “How about a handjob first?” he asks letting his hand once again travel slowly across Louis’ stomach.

The boy underneath him goes pliant, his eyes widening with the words. “Y-yeah, sure, yeah. Yeah.”

“Yeah?” Harry chuckles softly before grabbing Louis.

Harry’s hand is so fucking warm on his bare cock that that alone gets him harder. As he starts to stroke along his length with a slow rhythm, lips starting to mouth on his collarbone Louis knows he’s not gonna last long.

“Fuck Harry”, he groans as Harry picks the pace on his strokes and the boy makes fucking eye contact from where he is sucking on his nipple. Makes fucking eye contact!

The green eyes and everything else is sending Louis over the edge and he can feel it. He can feel all the warmth on the pit of his stomach gathering up and he’s harder that he’s ever been. “F-fuck Harry, I’m gonna come.”

“Can I blow you?”

Louis sees stars behind his fucking eyelids as he comes, he groans loudly and forgets how to breathe gasping for air. Harry strokes him through his bliss.

“That”, Louis starts to assemble his words as he comes down from his high. “That was”

“Good?” Harry helps.

“Better” Louis exhales relaxed eyes traveling on Harry’s face. “You’re pretty.”

Harry chuckles at that and cuddles next to Louis. “You’re pretty too. Like really pretty. Virgin princess pretty.”

Louis cracks up, some of his energy coming back but he’s still tired. He remember something and as he cranes his neck to look he’s surprised. “You’re not hard anymore”, he states confused.

“Yeah, well I might’ve came at the sight of you coming”, Harry admits bashfully and Louis chokes on his breathing.

“What?”

“I don’t know it has never happened before but you were so hot and beautiful at the same time.”

“How didn’t I notice?” Louis whines. 

How didn’t he notice? Well he was having fucking shooting stars going through his whole body but still. He's not blind!

Well love does make you–

No let’s not go there.

Louis whines again and shuffles closer into Harry’s warmth. He can’t believe he fucking missed coming Harry. Looking at the way he always looks and how he looks now, eyes all soft and dark and dreamy, mouth full(er), he can’t but to imagine how he had looked when he came.

Fuck does Louis have bad luck.

“You tired?” Harry asks and nuzzles his chin on Louis’ shoulder, looking up at the boy. Louis looks so good like this. I mean he always looks good but right now the way his eyes are not blue like the sky but blue like the night sky gets Harry’s tummy all warm. And not in an arousal way but in a warm, homey way.

“Mm a bit” Louis admits and yawns to confirm it. “Nap?” Harry nods to answer but doesn’t break the eye contact. “And then you’re gonna fuck me.”

Okay maybe it is a bit of an arousal warmth too.

Harry looks into Louis’ eyes a little longer, letting his eyes rest on the night sky full of dreams.

He swears he sees stars.

 

~

 

“Morning.”

Harry cracks his other eye open and meets blue. “It’s not morning”, he yawns and turns to his side, facing Louis. He thinks for a while, how long did they sleep? He narrows his eyes at Louis suspiciously. “Is it?” 

“It’s not”, Louis chuckles proudly and sways his head closer. It looks like his about to kiss him but then his face goes blank and he stops.

Harry furrows his eyebrows. “What is it?” he asks with concern. Louis is still quiet and not responding and Harry starts to worry. “Louis what’s wrong?”

“Um”, Louis starts, still half in his mind, “well I don’t know how to, um, ask this but”, Louis follows Harry’s lead and furrows his eyebrows and Harry takes Louis’ hand, thumbing circles on his wrist to calm him. “What are we?”

Oh.

“I mean I have feelings for you and you have feelings for me and we fucked or whatever it was but I’m still not sure what we are”, he spits out in a long phrase. “Are we anything?”

He looks so lost and hopeful and sad at the same time that Harry just wants to hold him close and cry but he needs to focus. Focus on forming words. “Well–“ he starts but is cut off by Louis who looks almost panicky.

“And I know I said I wanted you to fuck me, and I still do, but I just want to know if we’re just fooling around cause”, Louis takes a deep breath to calm down and looks directly into Harry’s eyes, “I don’t think I can just do fooling around.”

Harry doesn’t recognize the feeling running through his bones but it feels like he’s in shock, about to smile, laugh and cry all at the same time and there’s another feeling throbbing through all of that but it stays hidden for now.

“I’m not fooling around”, is the first thing that comes to his mind. And he truly is not fooling around. The feeling inside of him is so powerful it almost hurts.

Not even almost. It does hurt.

“I-I kind of assumed we were dating now but wasn’t sure but”, he admits and is about to continue when Louis plummets on his neck and hugs him tight.

“Thank you”, Louis mumbles into Harry’s ear. There’s a small sob or a sniff and it goes straight into Harry’s heart.

“What for?” he asks not quite understanding what he did. And yet he kind of does understand.

“For mending something that wasn’t even broken.”

Harry’s breath gets stuck for a second and when he has made his lungs work it’s being made his lungs work, it’s being cut off again by how tightly Louis is hugging him. He can’t blame him, his hugging him just as tight.

“Okay”, Louis says and breaks the hug, “first some food”, he pecks Harry on the lips, “and then you’re going to fuck me.”

 

~

 

They have recharged and refilled and now they’re both sitting on the tent’s floor looking at each other. Harry has told Louis about the basics of what is going to happen and what’s it probably going to feel like at first.

“Just immediately tell me to stop if it feels too overwhelming”, he reminds one more time.

“I will Harry don’t worry. You want to write it on my hand just in case?” he mocks softly and the way Harry looks at him, he’s afraid that he might.

Before Harry goes to fetch his pen Louis climbs on Harry’s lap and straddles him. He ducks to kiss him softly. “I love how much you worry about me”, he confesses though Harry repeating the same sentence for ten times is a bit tiring. But it’s sweet and makes him feel like he’s in good hands. Like he’s safe.

“I just don’t want to hurt you”, Harry exhales and lets Louis crane his neck for better access. The slow kiss feels good. Like they have all the time in the world and it’s never going to end. Like Louis is never going to leave.

The slow kissing is gone as soon as Harry sticks his tongue out and Louis starts to grind against him.

“Mmmhhm”, Louis mumbles as Harry inhales through his nose and grips the back of Louis’ head and the small of his back to bring him closer. 

Soon enough the kiss is nothing but spit and tongues and biting and sometimes they miss each other’s mouths completely. Louis is grinding down harder, Harry trying to push upwards but it’s hard from where he’s sitting so he spins them vertical. 

They’re both wearing boxers but they’re soon gone their cocks free and hard. Harry starts to move his hand downwards but then he stops. Louis still not a second after that.

“What is it?”

“Well I didn’t bring any lube with me”, Harry starts, “or condoms so if you don’t have any?”

Louis lets his head drop back down and he groans. Not in the way Harry wants him to groan though. “Oh god, no I don’t have anything”, he says desperately. “Fuck.”

At that moment a weird ringing starts.

Both of them lift their faces and look around to find the source. The ringing makes them both cringe, bad memories floating in their minds. 

An alarm bell.

Harry lifts up from Louis and starts to go through their stuff that is on the floor. “Did you bring an alarm clock?” he asks as he tosses their clothes. “You who sleeps ‘til midday?”

“No”, Louis says just as confused as Harry. “And I don’t sleep ‘til midday.”

“Fine eleven then but–“ Harry stops, Louis’ pants in his hands and stares. “I found it”, he says and replaces the pants with something else. 

“It’s a box.”

Louis stares at what Harry has in his hand and it is, in fact, a box. The box Niall left him with that had a bell on it and which Louis completely forgot about.

He wasn’t supposed to open it before the bell rang but he decided to open it when Niall left as a revenge. He thinks that was when he had noticed that Harry had taken off his shirt or something. He had forgotten all about the box.

But now it was there and the bell was ringing. They might as well open it and see. 

“Open it”, Louis tells Harry who’s knocking the top of the box.

“What if it’s a time bomb?”

“It’s not a time bomb”, Louis laughs. He thinks.

They both grow silent as the box opens. They just stare at the inside, mouths agape and completely still.

“Condoms.”

“And lube.”

The box is filled to the prim with condoms and contains at least three bottles of lube.

“I’m friends with freaks”, Harry says, his eyes empty.

“I’m friends with psychopaths”, Louis says, his eyes emptier.

They both keep staring at the rainbow of condoms in the box and all Louis can think about is how they had timed it up so well.

The thought must have run through Harry’s mind as well as they both ask at the same time: “You don’t think they’re here do you?”

That’s ridiculous. They couldn’t be, right? They’re not lurking in some tree, looking down at them with the videocamera and making notes. That’s not something they would do, right?

Right?

“They’re not here”, Louis laughs.

“That would be crazy”, Harry laughs back and then they both turn to check their surroundings though they can only see the inside of the tent.

“They’re not here.”

They come in to that conclusion cause even their friends are not that crazy. And even if they would be out there neither of them care after they realize that they now do, in fact, have condoms and lube.

“Lay on your back”, Harry advices while already lowering Louis on his back.

“Not on my stomach?”

“Well if you feel that that’s the better way then yeah but I would like to see your face.”

“On my back is good”, Louis decides and scratches Harry’s back lightly with his short fingernails. 

They kiss again as Harry spreads Louis legs further apart and fits himself in between. Louis can already feel the anticipation building up in his stomach and radiating to his back. 

“Just relax”, Harry tells him and massages Louis thighs a little. They’re not in a hurry and Harry wants to take his time so that Louis feels as comfortable as possible.

Louis decides otherwise and lowers his lips to nibble on the soft skin underneath Harry’s chin and shoves the lube bottle into Harry’s hands. “I want you.” 

And that’s all it takes to get Harry to open the lube bottle with a loud noise and pour some on his fingers. He brushes one finger gently over Louis’ hole, getting a shiver and a small whimper out of the boy.

“Harry”, Louis demands softly and it seems to be the only confirmation that Harry needs cause one of his fingers pushes through his rim. Louis’ whole body clenches and Harry’s finger feels big and warm inside him even though it’s just the tip.

“F-fuck”, Louis groans pain shooting from where Harry is pushing through. It’s not too painful though and he can feel a bit of pleasure hiding beneath it.

Harry doesn’t move his finger any further, waiting for Louis to react and letting him get use to the feeling. “You okay?” he asks gently.

“Mm”, Louis gets out and makes a movement with his hand to tell Harry to continue.

And that’s what Harry does. He lets his finger sink in further and fuck does it feel tight and big, Louis huffing and closing his eyes.

“Remember to breathe”, Harry reminds him and retrieves his finger a bit, getting another sound out of Louis.

Harry lets him get use to the feeling and finally Louis doesn’t feel like he’s tearing apart and he starts to beg for another finger. Harry’s index finger is all the way up to his knuckles and he starts to pull it back Louis burying his face into the crook on Harry’s neck.

They work their way up to three fingers and Louis feels like he’s about to suffocate, in a good way of course, as Harry moves his fingers up and down inside of him and he feels so fucking full. He doesn’t think he could be any more turned on as he stares blissfully into Harry’s eyes and Harry stares him back, picking up the pace.

That’s when he hits his prostate.

“FUCK!” Louis shouts and it comes out broken and in three parts. He moans and sucks in as much air as he can assemble around him. “What was thAT?” he asks as Harry hits it again.

“You’re prostate, bundle of nerves”, Harry tells him and leaves his fingers over the part in question, ghosting over it. “Feels good doesn’t it?”

Louis doesn’t answer because there’s not enough of oxygen to gather words so he just pushes against Harry’s fingers to make them touch it again. “Fff”, he tries and his whole body is trembling.

The heat is pooling in his stomach and he’s so fucking hard that he can’t even believe it. The handjob from before was a bliss but this? This is something from another fucking world. 

The way Harry’s eyes are all dark and is watching him squirm makes him feel even hotter and the precome on his cock is telling warning signs. “Harry”, he mouths into the boy’s shoulder where he had to bury it as Harry hit the prostate again.

“You ready?” Harry takes the hint and starts to spread Louis even further apart. 

“Y-yeah, fuck yeah. Please Harry”, he feels the knot near his groin tightening and shoves Harry’s fingers out of him.

“You sure?”

“Yeah Harry I’m fucking sure and I’m about to come just from your fingers if you don’t hurry”, Louis squirms out and raises his head just in time to see Harry’s proud and turned on face.

“Okay”, Harry gets out and rips the condom open. He pours lube over the condom as it’s on his already hard cock and puts both of his hands on Louis’ sides, lining himself up.

As Harry pushes in Louis has to close his eyes again and concentrate on breathing. His body trembles under Harry and again Harry is everywhere. On top of him, on his sides, inside him, and he can’t think properly. 

“Fuck you’re so good”, Harry groans as he sinks in and it doesn’t help the pooling heat in Louis. “Fuck you’re so good.”

Louis swears he misses his prostate on purpose as his all the way in, his hip slapping against Louis’ arse everytime he thrusts into him. The way he’s picking up his pace tells Louis that his coming closer to the edge too.

“Ynghh” Louis whines and groans as Harry misses his prostate again.

After that he gets two fast thrusts straight into his prostate and that sends him over the edge, shooting come all over his own stomach.

There’s no stars behind his eyelids this time, there’s fucking fireworks and Louis huffs breaths as Harry still moves slowly inside of him as he comes.

As he comes down from everything Harry carefully pulls out and drops down next to Louis. “You’re perfect my blue-eyed-boy”, he tells him with the lowest voice Louis has ever heard and nuzzles closer.

Louis can feel that Harry’s still hard against his thigh so he moves over and spreads his hand over his cock. 

“Fuck”, is all Harry gets out as Louis starts to stroke him and lifts his head to suck Louis into a kiss. It only takes few strokes to get Harry coming and moaning into his mouth and then it is Harry who buries his face in Louis’ neck.

They lay there in silence, both tired and about to fall asleep. They’re sweaty and Louis’ stomach and left side is covered in come but he doesn’t care. Harry still smells fucking amazing.

“Good night Lou”, Harry whispers and is met with a soft peck before they both fall asleep.

 

~

 

Harry wakes up first, again, and when he opens his eyes he meets a peaceful boy with soft hair huffing small breaths next to him. They’re tangled up and the come between them and on Louis has dried, itching.

Harry yawns and enjoys the view that is his boy for a while and finally builds up the strength to move his eyes away and rise.

He takes one of his shirts and pours some water on it before returning on Louis side. He moves to clean Louis’ stomach from the cum and the boy’s eyes start moving behind his eyelids.

“Morning”, Harry says softly staring into Louis’ blue eyes as they open. He moves to clean Louis’ left side. “Just cleaning us up, sorry for waking.”

“It’s okay”, Louis yawns and stretches his hands above his head. Harry starts to clean himself up. He lifts his head back into Louis’ eyes as he’s done and is met with a soft, fond stare.

“What?” he asks him, a shy smile rising.

“You’re beautiful”, Louis says like it’s nothing, eyes filled with warmth.

Harry feels his stomach dancing on its own and for a second he’s sure that his heart has stopped working. They're just words and looks but it makes Harry feel so warm.

He shuffles down next to Louis and gives him a small kiss. “And you’re gorgeous.”

He doesn’t need to leave the tent to know it’s sunny outside. It’s going to be a wonderful day.”

 

~

 

The whole gang arrives to pick them up and the grins on their anticipating faces melt into excitement and small jumping as the boys appear from the woods.

“Hi”, Niall chirps with a smile Louis is afraid is going to cut his face in half.

“Well hello there”, Louis says like nothing has happened. Like they didn’t fucking abandon the two of them into the wilderness.

No one says anything after that the three boys packing the car as Louis and Harry just stand. The smiles and knowing looks on the other boys’ faces tell it all as they all climb into the car. 

Harry and Louis climb into the backseat squishing Niall against the door and they drive out of the woods holding hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you look at that :)))))


	8. Date night no.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that I'm updating so slowly. Please forgive me but I have school and everything now. The next chapter hopefully won't take that long to make. 
> 
> There will be grammar mistakes.

Harry’s eyes are so beautiful. Louis wonders why they had to make it so difficult and pretend like they could just stay as friends. He’s so beautiful.

He can’t believe that boy is his, that they’re together, that they slept together. He feels like a teenage girl in a high school movie and feels like screaming.

He just stares the person in front of him. The way his jaw curves from his chin with sharp lines and how his eyes are smiling just as much as his mouth. How his chocolate brown curls frame his perfect face and how he can see where the dimples from when he laughs at Louis’ jokes. The way his lips curve up and–

Harry disappears from his point of view and is replaced with a pillow. Louis snaps back in horror and punches the pillow away. 

“Oh my god could you even pretend that you’re still in this planet”, Niall groans from where he threw the pillow. “Seriously dudes, get your shits together.”

Louis is about to say something snarky but then looks around the room their currently in. Zayn and Liam are cuddled up in a corner somewhere and hadn’t even noticed that Louis was attacked with a soft head rest thing. Then he turns to look at him and Harry, sitting together on the bed and staring each other, or at least they were staring at each other, and lastly he turns to see Niall alone on the floor.

Oops.

He takes the pillow that was thrown into his face and aims it towards his other friends.

“Heyyyyy”, Zayn whines when he’s forced to draw his lips back to himself. It doesn’t take long from him either. “Oh.”

“Hi guys”, Niall smiles but it’s not a happy smile. No, it’s a smile of a maniac. “It’s me remember, Niall”, the smile just grows wider and scarier, “your jolly Irish friend who was telling you about how I dropped in a sewer and almost died three times. Spoke about half an hour before realizing that no one was listening.”

“No, I was listening”, Liam tries a bit out of it, “something about a…a crocodile?” 

Niall sighs and rolls his eyes but doesn’t say anything.

“I liked the part where you had to fight the rat mob”, Harry suddenly slurs with a content smile, blinking his eyes slowly. Louis hides a giggle and is about to send Harry a warm disapproving look for teasing Niall but Niall beats him.

“Thank you Harry”, he says. “At least someone was listening.”

Wait what?

“You heard it all?” Louis asks a bit baffled. I mean good for Niall and all but he was completely drowned in Harry’s beauty and the feeling and he kind of thought and hoped that was the same thing for Harry.

“I’m a multitasker”, Harry says and wraps his arm around Louis to comfort him like he knows what Louis is thinking. “Though after you licked your lips I zoned out for good.”

Well, Louis thinks and smiles proudly, good enough.

“Back to me guys”, Niall says, pointing at himself, “back to me.”

Louis jumps down from the bed on top of Niall and starts to ruffle his hair. “Oh my poor baby, my poor lonely baby who’s going to die alone”, getting a giggle out of the blond and a kick to his shin. 

“Oh shut up, I’m not gonna die alone”, Niall fights as he struggles to shrug Louis off but gets Harry to join as well instead, “I’m adorable and we all know it.”

That gets Liam and Zayn up with a chuckle and to jump on top of the pile of limbs and then they just lay there. “I say”, Zayn says with a smirk from the top of their human tower, “project ‘Let’s get Niall a girlfriend’ has officially started.”

“…’or at least laid’” Louis chirps innocently but his eyes are staring teasingly at Niall.

“Hey!” Niall exclaims with a laugh and rolls to his side, the movement sending all the other boys tumbling to the floor. In the fall Harry wraps himself around Louis and pecks his cheek.

Louis loves his life.

 

~

 

Harry walks Louis back to his home as they walk away from Liam’s house. Harry fucking walks him back. It’s already quite late and from the air you can see that summer is coming to its end.

“So I was wondering”, Harry starts as they walk the lit pathway. Louis raises his head towards the voice and glues himself to Harry’s side.

“Yes?”

The boy’s curls bounce with every step and Louis kind of wants to just twirl them with his fingertips, so he does. That causes him to step on Harry’s toes though but because Harry is so wonderful and not real he pretends like it didn’t happen.

“I would want to take you on a date”, he continues after Louis stepped on his toes three times before giving up. “Like a proper date.”

Oh. Louis smiles with his insides and glues closer. They came back from the forest yesterday and Harry already wants to take him out. Louis slows a little.

“What if _I_ want to take _you_?” he asks and gently pokes at Harry’s ribs. Harry turns his head to think. Or that’s what Louis thinks. What it really is, is a decoy so that Harry can travel his hand on Louis’ side and start to tickle him mercilessly. 

Louis’ doubles his body from the tickles trying to swat Harry away as he laughs in pain. “Stoooooooop.” 

But Harry’s fingers only double in speed, the other hand joining and Louis starts kicking the ground somehow, even though he’s standing. He can feel his lungs trying to get air in but at the same time he can’t stop huffing the air out with his giggles. He can hear Harry laughing next to him.

That sadist bastard. 

Louis stumps on Harry’s foot, this time on purpose, which causes the other boy to loosen his grip just enough for Louis to wiggle out. He takes a few running steps just to make sure he’s safe and then turns to face Harry, breathing heavily.

“Crazy curly frog”, he pants eyes sending daggers. I mean he’s not mad, mad so the daggers have like, smiley faces on them.

Harry just grins cause he’s unable to feel sympathy and is a psychopath.

“Squirrel whisperer.”

“Heyy”, Harry’s face falls but it’s still amused. Louis can tell.

Harry eventually lifts his hand up in surrender and walks to wrap his arms around the dagger-eyed boy and then tries to drown Louis with pecks all around his face. “I’m sorry boo”, Harry coos and Louis’ face scrunches up.

He then shivers and grumbles to show his opinion about this action, which gets a low chuckle out of Harry but luckily he stops. “If I recall”, Louis darkens his eyes and smirks, “we were talking about dates.”

Harry hums and squints his eyes to think. “Yes”, he drawls his eyes flashing like he came up with something so good, “I do love dates.”

Louis rolls his eyes to the joke and once again stumps on Harry’s foot. “You’re an idiot.”

“I know”, Harry’s eyes have never looked happier, “but you love it.” Fuck he’s cute. Louis can’t stop himself from nodding.

“So how about tomorrow I take you out, the evening ending when we go to the bar to find Niall a girlfriend or something similar”, he pauses for a while like he’s about to suggest something else, “and you take over on Sunday?”

“That does sound like a good plan”, Louis agrees and turns his eyes dark again. “And you know if I enjoy tomorrow”, he leans in closer to whisper what he knows Harry was too afraid to suggest, “we could spend the night at your place.”

He’s not sure if Harry swallows or chokes but something like that happens.

They stop in front of Louis’ house and Harry starts to unwrap himself from Louis. “I better find something good to do for tomorrow then, don’t I?” he says, voice teasing. He lowers his head slowly towards Louis’ neck and the other boy’s breath hitches. Harry’s lips are warm and soft against his chilled skin his breaths vibrating on his neck, and then. And then…

Harry blows a loud raspberry.

He releases Louis and his neck and starts running with his clumsy long limbs along the sidewalk all while laughing manically.

Louis is so ruined. He just knows it.

 

~

 

His bed is warm and soft and cozy and as Louis breathes in the lazy air in his room he’s so happy he can stay there the whole day.

But wait.

He can’t.

Louis lifts his tired head, his hair scruffy and eyes glued together. He weighs his head and breathing and comes to the conclusion that it’s way too early for Louis to be up. 

It’s only then when he starts to become aware of the ringing sound that travels across the room and through his ears that he accepts that he’s awake. He doesn’t remember setting an alarm.

“Fine”, he gives up after his ears can’t take it no longer and sits up on the bed to reach his phone. “Off”, he groans in pain as his phone isn’t stopping immediately, “off, off, off.”

Finally silence falls upon his bedroom and he sighs deeply. He lifts the phone up to his face, squinting at the light, and looks at the time.

“The fuck–“

He hears steps from downstairs and stills. Could it be? No it couldn’t possibly be. Could it be?

It could be Louis finds out as he drags his sleepy ass downstairs. Harry is sitting there in their kitchen with a tea cup in his hands, looking quite content.

“You”, Louis starts and with the fury in his voice Harry’s face should turn white with fear and he should drop the mug. But instead Harry just turns to look at Louis and smiles. “You set an alarm on my phone?” he asks hoping that Harry just happened to be here by accident.

“Yup”, Harry chirps popping the letter p and just keeps smiling. “This is good tea”, he tells cause he doesn’t have any kind of self-preserving skills.

“You set an alarm on my bloody phone?!” Louis shouts with a still sleepy voice and tries to focus on Harry’s smiling face with his tired eyes.

“That I did.” Seriously, no self-preserving skills whatsoever. 

“It’s six-thirty in the morning!” 

“Well we have a lot to do today”, Harry says finally dropping the goofy smile but still not afraid of Louis’ raging revenge. “I’m cut off by Niall’s bar trip so we need to start early.”

Louis groans. Just groans cause that’s all he can do and sinks onto a chair, opposite from where Harry’s sitting. “Coffee, tea, toxic waste, anything so I don’t die right now”, he commands and pleads at the same time.

“Well toxic waste just might do that”, Harry starts but Louis glares him with a look so dark that the other words die in his throat. Finally Louis thinks with victory. 

He smacks his head on the table, which wasn’t a good idea because that hurt, and closes his eyes. “We need to leave soon”, he hears Harry’s words from somewhere above.

“You have no human emotions Curly”, Louis whines and sinks closer to the table. One with the table, one with the table he chants in his mind. Wow he really is tired. “No sympathy whatsoever.”

A dragging sound flies across the table and the Louis smell tea. He lifts his head and keeps his head above the cup, letting the steam warm his face. “Mm, that’s better.” He sees Harry smiling fondly at him from above the corner of the cup as he sips. “W-“ the blush on his cheeks is from the steam, “what is it exactly that we’re doing today?”

“Well” Harry gets up to put his empty mug away and turns weirdly to smirk at Louis, “we’re just going for a walk outside.

Louis lets the cup fall along with his hands. “What?” he exclaims. “A walk?” Harry walks over to dry the spill Louis caused as he let the mug drop to the table. “I’m awake right now…cause of a walk?”

Oh that boy better run Louis prays in his mind. He better run fast cause Louis isn’t going in jail for manslaughter this year.

But Harry, the ignorant and suicidal boy, just sits next to Louis and stares at him. There’s an amused look in his eyes and maybe he’s enjoying the fact that he’s about to die? Maybe he is a sadist?

“Don’t worry Lou” he says still with that look in his eyes, “it’ll be worth it.”

Louis’ just pouts but does get up to get ready. “Any advice on the clothing part? And do I need something else with me?”

“Well it’s still morning so something warm enough, we’ll be outside quite a lot”, Harry says before pushing his tongue in Louis’ mouth and, okay.

Maybe Harry can live.

 

~

 

“Is this your version of walking?” Louis asks as they climb inside Harry’s car. The curly boy smiles to where he’s looking and chuckles.

“We’re gonna drive and then walk”, he assures him and starts the engine.

“You’re beautiful”, Louis mumbles, still probably a little sleepy, and smiles. Harry’s hair is almost flowing like a river from his head and fuck, his side-profile is just an artwork really. Louis pokes his cheek to show his appreciation. “Pretty, pretty, pretty.”

Harry giggles, such a cute laugh, and quirks an eyebrow to Louis. “Wow you really are sleep deprived.” Louis pouts for a second before smiling again, never stopping the poking. “I like it, I should wake you up more often.”

“Or you could just keep me up all night”, Louis smirks and winks, lowering his hand on Harry’s leg. Harry makes a sound of somekind and tenses the leg that has Louis’ hand on it. Louis really likes having that affect on Harry. He reaches from his seat to plant a quick peck on his cheek cause he just feels so happy.

So happy.

They drive a while just talking weird stuff and singing along with crappy pop songs which they would never admit singing along to. Louis has no idea where they’re going because he stopped keeping track on where they were a half-an-hour ago. 

“Are you kidnapping me Mr. Styles?” he asks when they have driven almost two hours. “Or are we perhaps trying to reach the world’s end?”

Harry gives him an amused laugh and points ahead. “We’re almost there don’t worry”, and with that Louis starts to look around again.

They’re not in a city, it’s more like countryside from what it looks through the window. Green fields travel by their side and there’s trees here and there. He can see a village of some sorts up ahead.

“Where are we Harry?” he asks as a deer can be seen somewhere further.

“Well you seemed to enjoy the nature when we were camping but we’re kind of stuck there in the city so I figured”, he waves his hand to the village, “why not bring you somewhere where it’s more calm.”

Louis watches the village nearing and realizes it’s not a village, village but it’s not a city, city either. If you know what he means.

He looks at the sign they pass. “Cheshire?” The car pulls over and they climb out to see beautiful old-fashioned buildings. “As in your hometown?”

“Yup.”

Harry looks like he’s about to burst with happiness as he eyes the view around them and Louis has never felt more in l–

Having a crush.

The houses are so beautiful and look so homey and warm and Harry’s looking so beautiful and homey and warm and it’s causing Louis’ insides to burn on a low heat. He just wants to squeeze the other boy into his arms and hold him there. ´Don’t ever let me go´ Harry had once said.

And for a second Louis forgets. For a second he’s about to half joke if he’s going to meet his parents now. For a second he doesn’t remember.

And it looks like it happened to Harry to as his face falls the same time as Louis’.

Right.

No parents.

Harry doesn’t say anything for a while so Louis does what he wanted to do before. He squeezes the other boy into his arms and holds him there. Pecks his cheek and lips for good measures. 

“So”, Louis finally asks, “what’s the plan?” A grin hovers over Harry’s lips and Louis starts to regret the question. “Oh no.”

“Remember that armadillo story?”

“Oh no.”

“No, not that”, Harry laughs and points somewhere. “The part with the wannabe walrus.”

“Oh thank god”, Louis sighs but the wannabe walrus part isn’t promising either. He goes through the story in his head again. “You are a weird person Harry Styles.”

“I know!” Harry laughs and has already started tugging Louis with him.

They stop on a hill, that is not a high hill but not a small hill either. They sit down and look around for a while.

“Wow you weren’t kidding, the view is amazing”, Louis gasps and lets his eyes rest on the houses and people downhill.

“It is”, Harry murmurs with such a voice that Louis has to turn and looks at him. Harry’s staring right at him and looks like he’s been doing it for a while. His eyes look warm and content and there’s a lazy, relaxed smile on his lips.

This is so cliché, Louis cringes in his mind but can’t stop the smile and small chuckle. Harry’s smile widens even more and then they’re kissing.

Harry’s lips are soft, a bit chapped from the wind, and Louis cranes his neck back to allow Harry better access. His heart is beating slower and his breath is going faster as he can taste Harry’s mouth on his own. He drags his fingers lazily through Harry’s curls.

And then Harry’s gone.

Tuft of brown curly hair fly across the grass as Harry rolls down the hill laughing. “Wheee!”

The fuck.

“Wheee!”

“The fuck.”

“Come on Lou!” Harry shrieks and his voice is already far away. Louis watches as his boyfriend rolls and rolls and rolls and first he facepalms himself, then he rolls.

“Oh my god!” he laughs and screams as he travels down the grass. He keeps his eyes open but the changing imagery of the green grass and blue sky make him dizzy so he squeezes them shut. His body speeds up and it feels like forever, Louis already concerned if he’s ever going to stop, when two strong arms cuddle him in.

“Wasn’t it amazing!” Harry exclaims and shakes Louis with excitement. Louis stops the movement cause he’s afraid he’ll throw up.

“No”, he whines and concentrates on breathing. “God I feel like I’m dying inside.”

Harry takes the concern from Louis face with a soft kiss and paints it on his own. “Lou, I’m sorry”, he pouts at himself and hugs the other one closer. “Was it at all fun?” he tries with a weird smile.

“No”, Louis grunts, but if he and Harry run on top of the hill and do it again three times no one has to know.

 

~

 

It’s fun. It’s the most fun in a while even though they just walk around, Harry showing him places, and just talk. They talk about funny stuff, like the armadillo story kind of stories, and they talk about deeper stuff.

Louis tells Harry that he’s happy to have the other boy on his side.

Harry tells Louis that he feels the same.

Louis tells Harry that he’s the best he’s ever had.

Then Harry shoves him cause he’s the only boyfriend Louis’ ever had and then they laugh.

It’s that easy. That easy and simple and Louis loves the feeling he has every time Harry opens his mouth to slur out words or when he smiles even if it’s the smallest hint of a smile or a loud grin with dimples. He loves seeing Harry so happy because he knows he’s the one doing it. He knows he’s the one making Harry laugh like that, the one making him happy. He knows because Harry’s doing the exact same thing to him.

Louis feels happy.

As they climb inside the car Louis pulls Harry into a hug and ends it with a kiss. “Thank you.”

Harry looks a bit surprised as Louis lets him go. “For what?”

“Just, thank you.”

Harry’s smile is a mix of confused and pleased but it’s a pretty smile so Louis doesn’t hang in the details. The car starts and they start heading back.

“I’m sad”, Harry says suddenly and his smile turns into an innocent pout.

“Wait, why?” Louis asks in confusion. What happened, he was so happy just a second ago. Did he do something? What did he do? A tight panicky feeling lingers in his throat. 

“That I couldn’t take you out to dinner.”

Oh. The pressing feeling disappears and Louis breathes easily again. He can feel his heart still pounding out of shock still and he wonders when he started rushing to worry.

“Cause of Niall’s bar night, you know”, Harry continues as Louis continues to measure his pulse, “I would’ve wanted to take you out for dinner.”

Louis rolls his eyes to the curly boy, who once again looks like a frog, and lays his hand on Harry’s thigh. “Oh c’moon this was way better”, he promises, “besides, we did eat a lot today.”

That’s true, they had ice cream and fries and hot dogs and those cupcakes from that bakery. Heaven, Louis licks his lips, pure heaven.

“I guess but I just love candles and night time”, Harry still doesn’t let go, “it would have been so beautiful.”

“We’re not skipping out on others”, Louis sighs.

Harry gasps exaggeratedly and puts his other hand on his heart. “I would never”, he articulates, “never suggest such a thing.”

Louis laughs and squeezes Harry’s thigh from where his hand still rests. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

“Just candles and music and sex.”

Louis coughs. Stupid spit always trying to kill him. That liquid is a serious hazard. “No”, he accents.

Harry wiggles his eyebrows in a ridiculous manner and they both laugh. “You’re such an idiot Haz”, Louis spits from his laugh, shaking his head. “Niall”, he announces, “not sex.”

“Okay”, Harry hums and shrugs his shoulders.

And if Harry blows him in the car outside the bar, that information does not leave the scenery of the crime. 

 

~

 

“You’re late” Zayn points out dryly as they arrive. Harry and Louis share a look that no one else can read, and even if they can they just shrug the overshared information off with a shiver.

“Sorry”, Harry apologizes, voice a bit raspy, “there were some technical difficulties.”

The other boys just turn around uninterested but Louis leans in, still feeling euphoric, to whisper in Harry’s ear. “No there wasn’t.” The smirk Louis wears makes Harry’s stomach feel lighter and heavier at the same time.

“So”, Liam interrupts, “What’s the plan?”

All eyes join Zayn, who never takes his eyes off of his boyfriend, to look at Liam who’s looking around the bar.

“Do we just, I don’t know, start picking out women or do we need drinks first and, just, how?”

Now they all, yes even Zayn, start looking around to find eligible women. Then they all turn to look at Niall who winks to a woman who passes them. He winks with both eyes.

“Drinks first”, the other four announce in a choir.

And drinks they get. They start with beers and just talk for a bit but then it kind of escalates. Harry’s not sure who takes the first shot but he’s pretty convinced that it’s him, or Louis or him off of Louis, or something like that.

They’ve lost Niall who is strolling around the bar and just blinks at every woman, still unable to wink. This time though it’s probably cause of too much alcohol, or then he literally is just blinking at them.

“Poor lad”, Liam frowns behind his glass, “we should help him but I don’t know how.”

Louis presses his face against a bottle on the table and looks Liam in the eyes through it. That boy could model for Picasso, Louis realizes. “Oh don’t worry Leeeum”, he drawls and dances with the bottle a little, his face still pressed to it. “He’s an angel”, he sways his hand in the direction of Niall, who is currently talking to a barstool, “he’ll be fffine.”

“That’s a possibility”, Liam admits, the most sober one of the group at the moment. Louis nods and pulls his face off of the bottle massaging his nose. He drinks the few drops that are still in the bottle and then concentrates on Zayn.

“Zaynie”, he calls even though the raven boy is right next to him. 

Zayn is sitting his back pressed to Liam’s side, who has his arm around Zayn’s waist so he doesn’t slip under the table. “Yes my lovely friend?”

“Are you a demon?” Louis asks his voice lowered into a loud secretive whisper. He eyes around to make sure that no one else heard.

“What?” Zayn chuckles and again almost drops from where he’s sitting. 

“A demon”, Louis repeats and lowers his voice even more. He has a waiting grin on his lips, like he’s about to find out how to live forever.

“Oooh”, Zayn nods when he realizes what Louis means. He leans in closer to whisper to Louis, “Yes”, then he also looks around to see that no one else heard and puts a finger over his mouth and giggles.

Louis giggles too. “I knew it!” he laughs.

Zayn turns to tap on Liam’s stomach, “But this one”, he claims, “this one is an angel.”

Liam makes a sound that sounds like an “aww”, while Louis tries not to throw up. Is it the alcohol, or the cuteness of those two? No one knows.

Suddenly Harry starts to laugh by himself. Louis turns a little so that his stomach is pressed against Harry’s side. “What’s that Harry?”

“I”, Harry giggles and hiccups, “just remembered that we came by car.” Louis starts laughing with him and so does Zayn and Liam and then they all stop rapidly. 

“Fuck”, Louis realizes. Liam and Zayn don’t look as horrified as them. “Didn’t you drive too?” he asks them.

“No”, Liam answers proudly. “See, we realized that we were going to be drinking so we have a lift.”

Zayn sits up a little, Liam helping him. “Can’t you just call a taxi?”

Neither of them really would want to get a taxi. It’s difficult and expensive, and they’re drunk. “Maybe we’ll just sleep in the car”, Harry half-jokes. 

“What’s with the long faces?” Niall chirps, though the sound of defeat rings through it.

“We’re drunk but we came by car!” Louis says but it comes out as a shout. A woman nearby them stops to look at them.

“Harry?” she asks and Louis feels this ridiculous jealousy rising in his stomach. In Louis’ defense he’s really drunk. “Styles you okay?”

“Brbr”, Harry slurs and Louis tries to help him get out more words by shaking him. “Alcohol, vehicle thingie, can’t go vroom vroom.”

To Louis it’s clear as a day what Harry’s saying so he’s a bit surprised, and offended, when the girl just giggles in confusion. Why does she look like she’s lost? Harry’s sentence was totally normal. How does she even know his Harry?

“They’re drunk but came by car”, Niall clears and Louis wonders when he sobered up.

“Oh”, the girl makes a noise of comprehension, “well I can give them a ride with Hazza’s car.”

Louis hugs Harry tighter and shoots an obsessive glare towards the girl. Or is it two girls? Twins? Maybe he’s a little more drunk than he would like to admit. “Grrmph”, he huffs through Harry’s hair from where he’s staring her with hatred.

“We live in the same building and I came here by bus. Haven’t drunk anything”, she assures and Louis’ stare mellows a bit. But just a bit.

The girl doesn’t even notice, just keeps smiling. She’s beautiful Louis has to admit. Niall seems to agree the way he’s not letting his eyes to stray off of her. Harry nods goofily with a grin to the girl’s suggestion causing his hair to tickle Louis’ nose.

“Alright then”, the girl says. Niall makes a small noise when he realizes they’re about to leave. The girl notices that. “What about you blondie?” she asks with a smirk. “Want to join our carpool?”

“Yes!” Niall whispers and shouts at the same time. Louis not sure how’s it possible but it happens.

“Okay”, she laughs and helps both Harry and Louis up, “let’s get going then.”

 

~ 

 

Louis sulks the first five minutes of the drive ‘cause he still suspects the girl is trying to hit on Harry. But after the five minutes he’s swaying in every direction possible singing the songs coming from the radio with Harry and Niall. The girl doesn’t seem bothered at all and maybe Louis should give her more credit.

“Okay blondie”, the girl says when they’re waiting for the green light to appear, “where am I taking you?”

“Niall”, Niall says with a slur and, okay, maybe he’s not so sober after all.

“Okay Niall”, the girl laughs and makes the car move again, “where am I taking your lovely drunken ass?”

“Niall’s place”, Harry offers but only gets giggles as an answer.

“Well let’s take care of that problem later then”, the girl suggests and Louis is happy at that because he wants to continue singing. And that he does.

Too many songs later, in the girl’s opinion, they arrive to the building that is Harry’s. And the girl’s Louis supposes. Harry’s just about to climb out clumsily when Louis attaches himself to his boy and nuzzles his neck.

“My Curly”, he announces just because he can, and so that the girl will know who she’s messing with.

“You two are cute”, the girl says and comes to drag them up from the seat. “Drunk, but cute.”

“We are, aren’t we”, Harry agrees and smacks his lips on Louis’ with a mighty sound. “My Uncurly”, he mumbles.

Niall is also out of the car and as Louis and Harry start their way to Harry’s apartment Louis swears he sees Niall winking perfectly, with one eye, to the girl.

“You know what we should do?” Louis gasps with excitement when he gets an idea to his head.

“What?” Harry asks after having downed a gallon of water.

“Candles!” Louis shouts and searches for matches. Harry pulls him away from the drawers by his waist and against his front.

“I don’t think fire is the best option at the moment”, he chuckles near Louis’ ear and starts walking backwards, pulling them both in the direction of the bedroom. “I want to be on fire in a different way.”

Louis turns to face Harry as they keep walking and starts kissing him. Just drunken slobby kissing and it’s a blessing that no one is witnessing this.

“Did you tell your mom that you’re not coming home?” Harry asks suddenly and Louis cringes when his mother’s face appears on his mind while sucking on Harry’s bottom lip.

“Please don’t bring my mother up when we’re about to have sex”, he pleads and shivers. “But yeah I told her, it’s okay.”

Harry hums his approval at that without forming words ‘cause he has his tongue stuck in Louis’ mouth. Louis tastes so fucking good, feels so fucking good. Harry’s thoughts are being broken when he suddenly flies to the bed.

Louis’ wearing a satisfied smile, having thrown the dreaming boy bouncing on the bed. “What are you planning?” Harry asks as Louis adjusts himself on top of Harry, peeling his shirt off.

“Well you blew me already”, he smirks and Harry’s intestines flip, “figured it was my turn.”

Harry can feel the blush creeping to his cheeks, across his whole bloody face, as Louis paints over his collarbones. “Just remember that you don’t have to do anything you don’t want”, he reminds the other boy just to be sure.

“Yes mother”, Louis rolls his eyes and plants kisses on Harry’s chest, starting to go lower.

“I thought we weren’t gonna bring mothers up when we’re about to have sex?” Harry asks with an innocent voice but with an awry smirk.

“I swear I’ll bite you”, Louis scuffs and unbuttons the boy’s jeans.

“Oh please do”, Harry laughs with a dreamy voice.

“You’re an idiot”, Louis says just to make sure that Harry knows he’s an idiot and then pulls everything off of his legs. He kisses his right thigh gently and turns his eyes to look up at the boy, “But at least you’re my idiot.”

“Cliché”, Harry shouts laughingly but it dies as Louis puts his mouth around his head. “B-but I have no problem with it.”

“Good”, Louis smirks and does that again, this time going deeper. It’s not as weird as Louis thought it would be and it tastes like Harry. He’s drunk though so he doesn’t know if that affects it. He slurps in more of Harry’s hard cock and starts to feel the panic rising. What if he can’t take it? What if he suffocates on it? What if he can’t make Harry come? What about if he comes? What if he suffocates on that?

All the thoughts disappear when Harry’s hand comes down to his hair. Not to pull put to stroke it reassuringly. “You’re doing good Louis”, he tells him. “So good for me.”

Louis comes off to breathe more properly and lick along his shift. “You like that?” he asks when Harry shivers under his touch.

“Yeah”, Harry’s answer comes out breathily.

Louis does it again and then sucks in Harry’s cock again. He puts his arm around his base and starts going farther on his length. “Fuck Lou”, is heard from above and that’s enough to give him credit to lock his eyes to the other boy again.

He starts bobbing his head slowly, testing what it feels like, his hand matching the rhythm. He sucks in as he pulls back to the tip. “Fuck, your fucking cheekbones”, Harry groans and is so hard trying not to start moving his hips.

Louis goes down as far as he can, swallowing around Harry and to his surprise it’s not as suffocating. Maybe he just doesn’t have a gag reflex? 

He picks up his pace and comes to the conclusion that he does, in fact, have a gag reflex. He breathes heavily through his nose as he bobs his head up and down, tears prickling in his eyes. But he kind of likes it. 

His jaw is starting to ache but the way Harry is moaning is enough to keep Louis going, never breaking the eye-contact. 

“Lou I’m gonna” Harry warns but Louis continues. He can feel how hard Harry is in his mouth, already leaking and he can feel how hard he himself is. Harry comes with a loud sound and Louis slows a little, taking it all in, his own cock twitching.

“Fuck, Louis” Harry slurs from the bed, coming down from his high, “you were so good.”

“Glad to hear it”, Louis smirks and shocks himself with how raspy his voice is. He coughs a couple times.

“You okay?” Harry asks and pulls Louis up to cuddle him in and kiss him, tasting himself on his tongue.

“Yeah I’m fine”, Louis smiles and kisses Harry’s jawline. He rolls his hips to adjust his hard-on but Harry takes his hips and spins them.

“Good”, he says lowly into Louis’ ear. “Cause I’m gonna fuck you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be Louis' date then. The whole weekend was supposed to be one chapter but I wanted to publish already.


	9. Date night no.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops

The bed is warm and soft and cozy and as Louis breathes in the lazy air in Harry’s room he’s so happy they can stay there the whole day.

But wait.

They can’t.

Louis lifts his tired head, diving up from Harry’s curls, his hair scruffy and eyes glued together. He weighs his throbbing head and troubled breathing and comes to the conclusion that it’s way too bright for Louis to be up. 

“Fuck”, he groans, instantly regretting making any sound as his head feels like tearing in two. He hates hangovers so bad and this might be one of the worse he’s had. How much did he drink last night? What the fuck?

To be honest all Louis wants to do right now is not to move in a week and keep his eyes closed forever. But because Louis Tomlinson was cut short with luck, it’s Sunday and his turn to make a date for the most beautiful boy that happens to be his boyfriend who fucked him last night.

Now that Louis thinks of it, maybe he’s not so unlucky after all.

He twists up to sit on the bed and rolls his eyes open with a lot of blinking. “Haaaz?” he calls softly but with a smirk. The body next to him moves a bit and grumbles. “C’mon Hazzoline, out and about”, he chirps while shaking Harry a little. Louis has to muzzle up a laugh so he won’t actually wake Harry up as the other boy whines like a child and shakes his head deeper into the pillows as protestation.

“No.”

Louis chuckles softly and slides down from the bed, because he needs water and his headache somehow isn’t so bad after having seen a sleepy Harry next to him. He tickles the other one’s feet quickly as they so temptingly peek from under the blanket and then he waddles, yes waddles, out of the bedroom.

Louis gets his head in shape and then starts fixing them breakfast. He was dreaming of making something grand and big to start his date-day but came in the conclusion of not wanting to kill his boyfriend so early on the date. Or later for that matter. So he settles for sandwiches.  
And coffee, lots of coffee.

As the table is ready he realizes that Harry is still in the bedroom and not aware of the fact that there is food on the table. Louis can hear small moving noises every now and then from Harry’s room so he must be at least half-awake.

“Harry, babe?”

“No”, shoots from the bedroom and Louis can’t help the fact that his mouth curves up to a laugh at how determined the no is.

“I have breakfast here for you.”

“I’m not getting up unless you’re naked over there or something.”

“Oh, but I am”, Louis tells him with a cheeky smile and then almost dies from a heart attack as he spins around to look back at the table and finds Harry sitting there. “H-how dh did yof?” Louis pants and holds his chest to make his heart not jump out from there. Harry eyes him up and down and then pouts.

“You’re wearing pants.”

“How the hell did you get there?” Louis looks from Harry at the table to the bedroom door and how he is standing in the middle, no way for anyone to sneak past him. “Do you have some kind of secret passageways here or something?”

“You’re wearing pants”, is all that Harry says, still wearing a pout, before stuffing his face with a sandwich and Louis makes a mental note to ask about the hidden hallways later. And also to lose his pants after breakfast and before they leave.

~

Harry closes the door and follows Louis to, well, wherever they’re going. “I don’t remember much from last night”, he thinks out loud, trying to create memories. “From the bar, that is.”

“Me neither”, Louis agrees and wonders how many people they traumatized with their group. “I remember being jealous?”

Harry huffs a little laugh, “To whom?”

“I have no idea”, Louis laughs along and shrugs. He has his head turned back towards Harry so he doesn’t see the person he bumps into.

“Hello boys”, a cheery and upbeat voice says that tastes like honey in Louis’ ears. “I see you’re not suffering from a killer hangover?” 

And just like that Louis remembers who he was jealous to. Wow, he was really drunk wasn’t he? Delusional. 

“Barbara!” Harry shouts happily and hugs the girl they crashed into. “Up already?”

“She gave us a lift last night, you me and Niall”, Louis refreshes Harry’s memory now that he remembers himself. The girl, now Barbara, nods with a smile, eyes sharp, playingly mocking them.

“Ooh”, Harry breaths as he maybe remembers something, “thanks Babs.”

“Anytime”, she assures in front of her door that’s still open, and inside the apartment they can see a Niall trying to hide himself. It ends up with him jumping away from the view, probably aiming to a couch or something but by the noise of it Louis’ pretty he ended up on the floor. He’s out sight though so, guess it worked? 

“Okay!” Louis smiles a little too brightly, trying not to laugh and he and Harry walk away really fastly, “We’ll see you later I hope!” and bursting into tears for laughing at the parking lot.

“Wow.”

“I know.”

 

~

 

“We’re going to go roll off a hill again?” Harry asks as they walk into a nearby park. Louis takes a few steps before answering anything, taking in the green grass and the smell of summer. 

Which is mostly sweaty people but, oh well, you take what you get.

“No my sweet Harold”, he turns to walk backwards so that he’s facing Harry. He almost knocks down a stroller with a baby in it, “not rolling any hills today.”

“So what is it that we’re doing today?” Harry squints his eyes and tries to look for clues around the park. An old man is doing squats, or having a heart attack somewhere near a tree and some small kids run around the playground. 

What is Louis up to?

“Not telling”, Louis grins and turns to walk normally just before he’s about to hit a pregnant woman. Well, that sure was close. He hears Harry whine behind him and feels how his lips start to tug their way up.  
Harry often has that effect on him.

“Why noooooooot”, Harry pouts and drawls like a child. “C’mon Lou I’m dying to know what you’re up to.”

“Let me see”, Louis lifts his head up and pretends to think, “no.”

Harry grumbles.

~

Louis pulls to a halt and Harry almost bumps into his back, the movement so sudden. “What is it?” he asks Louis and starts to look around more closely. “Why did we stop now?”

There’s no buildings nor people going around and it’s extremely quiet. There’s no traffic noices, not even birds or wind. The hell is this place, Harry thinks to himself and keeps searching with his eyes. Only grass and grass and grass, a few rocks, and more grass. He turns to look at his boyfriend with a serious face.

“This is where you’re going to kill me, isn’t it?”

Louis chuckles behind his hands and shakes his head. “No, I know it looks a bit weird and, yeah perhaps suspicious but this is not the place where I’m planning to sacrifice you to the almighty gods above.”

“Not the place?” Harry asks with his eyebrows up just to make sure.

“Not the place”, Louis assures him with a laugh, “no that’s reserved for later this night.”

“Ah”, Harrys nods understandingly, “I always knew this was going to end up like this.”

They stop their weird bicker and Louis points to a direction where they’re supposedly going next. Harry turns his body that way and, oh what awaits him there. He opens his eyes wider and takes in a deep breath. He can’t believe this.

 

More grass.

 

“I hope you’re going somewhere with this”, he says dryly. Louis just starts springing around the grass and doing pirouettes. Harry watches him fly across the air delicately and how his ankles and posture make him look like a beautiful swan in the air.

“Fly with me”, Louis whispers dramatically and keeps bouncing around. “Flyyyy!”

“I think I’d had rather been murdered at the moment.”

Louis stops his _feel the air, be the air_ chant and leaves his mouth open in shock. He takes a hurt breath and lifts his hand to his forhead. “Y-you don’t like the date I planned?” he asks and bends a bit to make it more dramatic.

“Wow”, is all Harry says before starting to make pirouettes.

“Wow, you’re really good at that”, Louis exclaims and joins the other one. “Let’s bounce this way.”

When they finally stop, they both drop down to the ground with heaving breaths, their legs sore. “This was a revenge for me making you roll down the hill wasn’t it?” Harry says between his breaths.

“Could have been”, Louis smiles as best as he’s capable at the moment, “but it seems I have fallen in my own trap as well.”

Harry laughs and turns to roll over Louis. The smaller one makes a squeaking sound as he’s crushed between the ground and Harry. “So”, Harry asks and kisses Louis’ nose between every word, “what, are, we, up, to, now?”

“Well I have lunch for us”, Louis reveals while squirming a little under Harry’s kisses. “It’s just a little something.”

“Sounds good”, Harry swears with a smile and drops one last kiss, this time on the mouth, and rolls off of Louis.

“Okay”, Louis starts getting up and drags Harry with him.

“If we’re going to eat grass, I swear to god.”

Louis laughs and keeps walking a straight line ahead. “No, no don’t worry.” They walk a bit more and come into a small diner. “I’m almost certain they don’t serve grass.”

“Wow”, Harry exhale to the sight. It’s a small diner and looks extremely cozy. “I didn’t even know about this place.”

“Yeah, I found it once as I was little. Use to wander around these places.” 

Louis looks the diner up and down and eyes the area around them like trying to see memories. A small Louis running around and falling just before this diner. He remembers how he went back home with a bloody knee and told his parents about the diner. His Mom was worried about his knee and if he had any other injuries but Louis was just telling with stars in his eyes how the people in the diner had offered him a chocolate milkshake to “shake off the harm”. 

“Me and my family used to come here quite often”, they started the tradition after the milkshake but stopped when his dad died. 

“That’s so sweet”, Harry awes and follows Louis in. Family traditions were always nice.  
Always so nice.

“Hello young misters”, a cheery old lady chirps as she shows them a place to sit. The diner is empty, part from one family somewhere in the corner.

“Oh c’moon Elena”, Louis laughs and swats his hand to portray that there’s nothing to fuss about.

“Fine”, Elena submits into her destiny of not getting to pamper the two young boys. “But if you get a free dessert on the table, don’t blame it on me, I had nothing to do with it”, she says and winks ‘cause she has something to do with it.

They order burgers ‘cause, burgers.

“Lovely place”, Harry smiles from the other side of the table. “Was Elena here when you fell?”

“Yeah”, Louis answers and the way his eyes look up in nostology tells Harry that Louis is seeing the scene that brought him here. Harry lets himself think what brought him here. He met a lovely boy at a funeral, that’s how.

“You know, I really like your eyes”, he suddenly says and Louis blesses him by turning them back to him. A warm smirk build on Louis’ face.

“What? Thank you”, he tugs his head down bashfully and Harry just wants to squeeze him.

“And, um, you know that I–“

Two sets of burgers are stuffed under their noses and served with a smile, “Two burgers loves. Enjoy!”

–like you a lot, right?

“Thanks Elena, you’re the best”, Louis shines, completely unaware of how he’s blinding Harry with his natural glimmer.

“Yeah, thank you.”

Louis waits a while for Harry to continue but when he doesn’t, he just throws a fry at him. “I enjoy your company fryface.”

And that’s it, that’s why he loves him.

Wait.

Harry freezes with his thoughts and eats the fry Louis threw him with. Louis laughs loudly to something, his whole being lighting up, wrinkles forming on the sides of his eyes. Yeah, he’s in love.

 

~

 

“I hope you’re okay with not having the place empty. I mean we can go to your place if you’d rather want, that?” there’s a pause in Louis sentence that shows his afraid Harry would just rather fuck him and go. For some reason it twists something in Harry’s chest. He thinks it’s his heart

“No this is just perfect”, he tells him, “promise.”

Louis uncertain feeling washes away from his face and they step in the Tomlinson residence. “Hello everyone, we’re here so please stop talking about us behind our backs!” Louis chants the sentence as a one long word and they can hear quick sounds as the family members try to spread out to not look suspicious. 

“Don’t be silly love we don’t talk about you behind your backs”, her mother laughs, just having stopped talking about them behind their backs. “That’s silly.”

“You said silly twice”, Louis gives her a knowing look and then the mother and the son share a look full of tease and love. Harry loves being around this family so much.

“You want any food?” Louis asks him as they walk into a kitchen ‘cause it’s quite late and the diner was like, hours ago.

“Did you make it?” he asks, eyebrows up.

“No.”

“Then yes.”

Louis gives him the fake-annoyed look, eyebrows almost up in his hairline and eyes unimpressed. He takes two plates and puts food in them and as he gives Harry his portion his face is calm but Harry knows he’s fantasizing of smashing the plate and the food into Harry’s face.

Just for the fun of it.

“Mm this is so gooood”, Harry screams in a whisper. “Wow.”

“Mom’s amazing, isn’t she?” Harry just bobs his feet up and down on the floor and nods vigorously as an answer. 

“Boys?” Jay calls from the living room with her warm voice as they’re both scraping their plates.

“Yeah?” they shout from the same mouth and carry the plates and other stuff to the washing machine.

“Here’s a movie starting if you feel like joining.”

Louis looks to Harry with the same uncertainty as he was wearing when they came here. He looks almost, embarrassed? But Harry just nods with an excited smile ‘cause a movie with Louis’ family sounds perfect.

They’re just about to sit on the couch when Louis suddenly springs up and scares the hell out of Harry. “Wait just a minute”, he says and starts looking around with a look that he just came up with something. “Close your eyes.”

Harry does as told and he can hear Louis whispering something to his mother. He can also feel how the lights go off and he’s just hoping that Louis isn’t going to blow him in front of his mother. He hears some other sounds too and when he’s finally allowed to open his eyes there’s a sea of candles going around.

Harry feels breathless, candles are just so pretty, the flame creating powerful but warm light everywhere and moving about like it was alive. And when Louis sit next to him he love candles even more as they paint Louis’ face soft and beautiful. The light makes his eyes look fonder.

The movie runs in the television all eyes directed to it and Louis tugs Harry at his side to get his attention. Harry turns his head slowly to his boyfriend. “I hope this wasn’t too boring”, Louis asks, his voice ringing with a sorry. “I mean family night as a date?”

Harry hugs Louis closer and they melt deeper into their blanket, “No, no I love–”

You 

“–this.”

Louis grows such a sweet smile that it tugs the strings of Harry’s heart and lungs and rests his head on Harry’s shoulder. “I’m glad.” 

The candles flicker with hope.


	10. Limenade, bittersweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well that took some time.

Sirens fill up the apartment as a firetruck runs the streets in a hurry. Zayn stands in front of his window and looks where the giant red car is going. He recognizes the direction and lifts his phone apathetically to his ear.

“Oh hello Zayn how fun of you to call right now”, Harry’s painted on voice says and ends with a nervous laugh. The sirens can now be heard more from Harry’s end.

“Did you try to teach Louis to cook again?”

The silence from the other side confirms it, as well as the firefighter’s voice in the background. Don’t ask how Zayn knows it’s a firefighter, he just knows. “Right.”

“Gotta go Zayn sorry”, Harry drops and stays silent until adding, “He’s getting better at it.”

 

~

“You’re getting better at it”, Harry informs Louis as he puts his phone back to his pocket. Louis looks at him unimpressed and raises his eyebrows. “No, really”, Harry smiles but his white lies are as visible as the smoke coming out of Harry’s apartment. 

~

“Morn–NO, NO, MY EYES!” Lottie’s scream interrupts Harry’s movements on his good morning blowjob and both he and Louis scramble the blanket on them. Lottie is gone as quickly, no, quicker than she arrived and they stare at the door horrified. 

Harry starts to giggle and Louis hits him with a pillow. “That was not funny!” he says and empathies each word with a swing from the pillow. “We just traumatized my little sister!” he continues and is definitely not laughing. He can just imagine hearing from this for the rest of his life and, okay Louis really _really_ needs to get a lock for his bedroom door.

Harry has curled up on the bed with how much he’s laughing, ‘cause Harry is an asshole and does not care about fragile childminds that are easily broken and traumatized. A distant ‘my eyes!’ can be heard from somewhere around Lottie’s room and Louis finally allows himself to curl next to Harry to giggle.

Louis’ eyes crinkle in the most adorable way when he laughs and Harry stops laughing just to watch him. Louis also calms down to a smile but the crinkles stay. The ‘I love you’ spills from Harry’s lips before he even registers what he’s doing and he has to witness the crinkles disappear. 

Harry stops breathing and waits but the only answer is silence. A very loud answer, loud and clear. Louis looks at him with uneasy but soft eyes and he smiles with one side, the smile being encouraging and apologetic. “Haz”, Louis tries but the voice is so fragile and difficult that Harry can’t take it.

He’s a fucking moron. A fucking moron for saying those words, a fucking moron for thinking Louis would say them back, a fucking moron for falling in love. I mean he should’ve known better, really he should’ve. He feels fucking embarrassed and so he gets out of bed and starts gathering his clothes.

Oh, don’t mind me here nakedly running around your room after I just confessed my love to you, he chants in his mind and he knows he’s being dramatic but he’s so fucking embarrassed. He’s not mad or anything, just hurt.

Louis doesn’t say anything as Harry leaves.

Maybe now he is a bit mad.

~ 

“And then you just left?” Liam asks when Harry finally takes a break from his story to breathe. They’re lying on Harry’s floor Liam’s legs lifted on the sofa and he’s playing with Harry’s curls. “What if he had an explanation? Or maybe he’s just not good with emotional stuff and needed time to find words.”

Harry twists his head backwards to look at his friend and grumbles unpleased. “He said nothing Liam, nothing. And I wasn’t going to stay there after I fucking embarrassed the shit out of me.”

“Fair enough.”

Harry rolls to his side and part of his blanket burrito that he had formed unwinds. Liam’s hand doesn’t react fast enough to the movement and ends up tugging Harry’s hair quite harshly. “Whoops, sorry Haz.”

“Haz,” Harry says tasting the word, “That’s right, he called me Haz. I told him that I loved him and he said Haz like trying to apologize. And you know what the worst part is?” he turns more to Liam and Liam just widens his eyes and shrugs, “That it’s been three days and I haven’t heard from him. Not even a message saying _yeah we’re through_.”

Liam starts to massage Harry’s scalp and stares at the ceiling. “Maybe that he hasn’t sent anything is a good sign? Like that means he doesn’t want to end it right?”

Harry whines like a kid and pouts, “I can’t know that, maybe it’s his way of saying it’s over,” Harry rolls a little more until his face is against the floor, “Has Zayn said anything? Louis has had to talk with him.” Harry squints at the carpet and misses the way Liam’s whole being averts the question, hiding his phone.

~

“And then he just left!” Louis finally stops his story to breathe. They’re on Zayn’s bed, Louis trying to braid Zayn’s short hair even though he knows it’s not possible. “I could’ve explained or we could’ve talked it over if he would’ve stayed.”

Louis moves his head backwards in frustration and Zayn sighs. “He told you he loved you and you said nothing. You didn’t even say anything as he left. I know I wouldn’t have stayed.”

“Fair enough.”

Zayn moves his head to the left where Louis is sitting and what was definitely not a braid in his hair unwinds. Louis’ hand doesn’t react fast enough to the movement and ends up tugging Zayn’s hair quite harshly from where his trying to braid them. “Whoops, sorry Z.” 

Zayn doesn’t respond too busy going through the story Louis just told him, “So he told you that he loves you and you only said Haz like trying to apologize?” he turns more to Louis and Louis just widens his eyes and shrugs, “And it’s been three days and you haven’t talked to him. Not even a message saying _yeah we’re through_?”

Louis stops what he’s doing with Zayn’s hair and stares at the ceiling. “But I don’t know what to tell him. Like maybe I don’t want to end it,” Louis whines like a kid and pouts, “He hasn’t contacted me either. Maybe it’s his way of saying it’s over,” Louis melts to the bed until his face is against the mattress, “Has Liam said anything? Harry has had to talk with him.” Louis squints at the blanket and misses the way Zayn texts with his phone with someone and leaves the question unanswered. 

~  
 **Hi, um sorry for not sending anything earlier Harry I really had no idea what to say. I just want to let you know that I’m sorry for not saying anything back then it just came out of nowhere**

**I was hoping we could talk things out?**

**Harry I’m really sorry I don’t know why I just sat there**

**Okay well I’m just gonna start then. I’m not very into relationship things if you didn’t notice. I tried to stay away from you from the beginning and it didn’t really work but I’m still second guessing time to time. I’m leaving to uni soon and a lot of things are changing and I just don’t know of I could last in a relationship.**

_So it was a summer fling for you all along?_

**Oh shit, Haz that’s not what I meant. Could we see somewhere? Talk it out? That’s not what I ment.**

_Look if relationships aren’t your thing then they aren’t your thing but it would have been nice to know a little earlier_

**But I want a relationship. And I really like you Haz I really do, please believe me, but I don’t think this is the best time to start one. Can we please talk face to face?**

_I think you said everything_

**Haz please don’t hate me. I mean I understand if you do but I didn’t mean this to happen. I really thought I could just…I don’t know**

**I’m really sorry**

**Haz?**

**Harry?**

~

“He left me on read Zayn”, Louis whines from the floor. Zayn sits on his bed and sways his legs while texting with someone. “Am I a horrible person?”

“Maybe a little.” 

Louis whines louder and closes his eyes. “I mean it wasn’t completely my fault? I mean it’s not his fault that I’m leaving town or that I’m just shit at emotions but he never asked me how I was feeling about the relationship?”

“Really?” Zayn asks from above, kicking his leg to Louis side as he sways them and Louis’ not sure if it was an accident, “We’re doing this now?” Zayn has known his friend long enough to know that Louis is in fact crap at feelings. He’s not crap at feeling but he is crap at admitting them.

“Lou you’re a piece of work you know that?” Niall’s voice from somewhere says. Niall had fallen asleep earlier but Louis wasn’t completely sure where he was laying. Zayn takes this as an opportunity to log off from the conversation and leave Louis for Niall to handle. 

“Excuse me?” Louis raises an eyebrow but doesn’t bother to open his eyes yet.

“If you don’t want a relationship that’s fine but I don’t want to be hearing how Harry didn’t try hard enough to get you back or something like that in five years.”

Louis pouts a little ‘cause his friends are not backing him up. He just feels like shit, he just wants o feel a little less shit. “And he likes lime in his tea!” he suddenly remembers. “It was never going to work. Who puts lime I their tea?”

“Lime sound like Liam” Zayn just says with a weird dreamy voice so Louis opens his eyes to look for Niall.

Niall’s head peaks from underneath Zayn’s bed the blond hair getting a few hits from Zayn’s legs. “It doesn’t really taste different from lemon actually.”

“Fine!” Louis gives up and faces the cold reality. He did something shit to a person he cared about, to a person who loved him. “Fuck. Limes and lemons don’t mix I mean look what I’ve done.” 

Zayn and Niall share a look because apparently their friend has lost it.

~

“I left him on read Liam”, Harry whines from the floor. Liam sits next to him and sways his feet while eyeing his phone. “Am I a horrible person?”

“Maybe a little.” 

Harry whines louder and closes his eyes. “I mean it wasn’t completely his fault? I mean it’s not my fault that he’s leaving town or that he’s just shit at emotions but I could tell he was running from me at the beginning I should’ve seen it coming.”

“Really?” Liam asks next to him, prodding Harry’s side with his right foot, “It’s not on your shoulders. It was just a bad timing that’s all.” Liam’s phone chimes and he jumps for it quickly. “I forgot to silence it, sorry do continue.”

“It’s okay. You can have a life at the same time as I whine about mine” Harry swigs his hand but doesn’t bother to open his eyes yet.

“But it wasn’t just timing I should’ve known better. He was so persistent about the whole lemon and lime thing from the beginning. I mean they’re just fruit? I knew all along that it wasn’t just the fruit.” 

Liam types something on his phone before placing it on the floor and returning to Harry. “Yeah I think we all saw it. Lime was you, he was lemon but c’moon you love spending time together,” Liam falls to the floor next to Harry. “I mean you could stay friends and then later on look what could happen.”

 

“You have a point but maybe lemons and limes just don’t mix”, Harry sighs deeply. He opens his eyes and turns sideways to see a light on the floor. “Um why is Zayn texting you to…lime him up?”

~

Louis kicks a rock forward, a rock that he’s been kicking now all the way from Zayn’s place, his face planted on the ground. He’s supposed to leave next week but he’s not as exited as he was to begin with. He hates leaving things untied.

He kicks the rock but does it too hard and it flies somewhere in the bushes. Louis just sighs deeply and continues to his front yard only to find that someone is in there. His family is not home so it’s definitely one of them. 

He takes a few steps closer and– “Harry?” The boy is sitting on the grass and it looks like he’s trying to plant something. “Harry what are you doing?”

Harry keeps his back towards Louis and continues to press something under his hands. “I’m making a lemonlime.”

They’re seed Louis realizes. He puts a hand on Harry’s shoulder, “You can’t force them together Harry,” but Harry just continues pushing seeds together and burying them, “You can’t force them…is this some symbolic shit?”

That seems to flip something in Harry’s head because he throws the rest of the seeds away and springs up. “Of course it fucking is! It’s not about fruit, it never was and I should’ve fucking left after that funeral but I didn’t and I love you and, fuck, I love you!” Harry’s eyes and face are red from crying and Louis takes a shocked step backwards.

“I- Harry I’m sorry about all of this. I suck okay, I know but, please stop crying, I didn’t want to hurt you. Or myself. I was afraid if I talked about it, it would ruin us. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

Harry looked at him with hurt in his eyes and Louis’ own insides we’re bleeding with pain. “Yeah? And how did that turn out?”

Louis buries his face in his hands and tries very hard not to cry. He doesn’t remember the last time he was about to cry. He really fucked up.

“I should leave,” Harry’s voice breaks through his thoughts. “I should leave and we both go on with our lives,” Louis lifts his face to look at Harry who now is wearing a stone cold look, “this was a thing that happened and we’ll live with it. Goodbye Louis Tomlinson.”

Harry walks past the stunned boy and starts to head home. His eyes feel heavy from crying and he feels a bit stupid but that is life. He turns to look at Louis one last time to shout, “Don’t call me Lou!” before walking away.

Louis hears him but tries to call him a few times. There’s no answer.


	11. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six years later

Louis sits on the porch of his old house. He loves to come back home to see his family, he was always a family man. 

He looks around and sees birds flying with the wind, trees slow dancing to the rhythm of air and his whole body relaxes. It’s a lovely morning, the weather only a little chilly and he couldn’t ask for anything more.

His eyes lock to the two trees on his mother’s lawn. It’s quite the miracle actually that they grew out, he never would have thought that lime- and lemon trees could make it in the old English climate. One lemon- and one lime tree side by side Louis laughed in his mind.

“Your tea,” a low voice tells him and sits next to him. Louis takes the cup and smiles softly. He lets his head lull to Harry’s shoulder and turns back to look at the trees. Some symbolic shit indeed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all you readers. It's shit I know but you haven't seen the best of me yet.

**Author's Note:**

> So...did Louis really leave just cause of limes? I don't think so.  
> I'll try to make the second chapter as soon as I can


End file.
